Viera Actress
by Vieraheart15
Summary: Sequel to The Eternal Question! Fran and Balthier's daughter causes a problem in the Wood when she starts exhibiting a strange behaviour: Talking like Balthier! REVIEWS KEEP ME HAPPY, BUT NO FLAMES.
1. Chapter 1

Viera Actress

**Disclaimer: Square Enix owns FFXII and its characters. Myko-chan and the other OCs appearing in this are mine.**

**This is another tale of Myko-chan, the lovable half-Viera half-Hume from the Eternal Question. This takes place about five years after that. Myko is starting to speak, and is proving to be quite intelligent. Stars are born, not made. At least in Myko's case! When she starts exhibiting a very disturbing behaviour after Jote tells her the story of "The Viera who cried coeurl", Mjrn and Jote decide they have to try and stop all Hume-like behaviours before the girl's secret (the fact that she isn't a pure Viera) is revealed to the Viera at large. Hilarious, somewhat suggestive, and very strange. Read the Eternal Question first, please, so you'll understand who Myko is. I tried to make Myko sound like a female version of Balthier, but I don't think I did that so well. OOC Jote and Mjrn. Reviews are encouraged, but flames are extremely unwelcome, like Myko's mother in Eruyt Village.**

Myko was wandering around in the forest with her cousins Janson and Slya. Myko and Slya had been told to stay in Eruyt Village when not accompanied by an adult and Janson's mother told him that if he didn't start acting less like his father and more like a decent male Viera, he'd have the fur shaved off of his ears.

Janson and Slya were twins. And they were half-siblings because Mjrn decided she needed to be with more than one man in a single night! Janson, as his name implied, was fathered by Lord Janzyn, the psychotic male Viera who was convinced he was the King of the Jungle, and absolutely loved Mjrn. Slya's father was just an average Viera male. Janson's aunt, Lena, was trying to turn her nephew into a miniature Lord Janzyn, which made Mjrn angry. The boy was raised by his father and aunt. Slya was taken care of by her mother. The twins were about three. They knew Myko's father wasn't a Viera, but they didn't care. Maybe they never would.

"We shouldn't be out here. Remember the time dumb ol' Vink caught us and reported us?" Slya asked.

"Sylva 'Vinka'. Future leader of Eruyt Village. If we can make it past her, we can make it anywhere. Reports us by screaming until her mother comes to see what the heck we're doing to her." Myko said.

"Vink can't even speak yet and she's already torturing us. Just wait until she's older. Oh, that's going to be a nightmare." Janson added.

"You're lucky you don't have to live in the same home as that brat. I do! She's the precious little princess, and I don't get enough attention anymore. Except when I started mimicking Mjrn. Then I got in major trouble. I'm not allowed to mime. That's supposedly Hume-like behaviour, and I'm not allowed to act like a Hume. I have to act like a full Viera." Myko whined.

"You are half-Hume! You should have some of the characteristics! Besides the eyes and feet, of course."

"Aunt Jote says that I can't let the other Viera know that my father is a Hume, or else they might kill me."

"Mom knows." Slya whispered.

"I know Aunt Mjrn knows. And Miss Hala, Miss Neve, Miss Arla, Miss Alja and Miss Rael know. Not all of the Viera know. And some Viera are mean. Uncle Delf says that if I lived in Arlisa Village, their leader Tyra would've killed me already. Tyra hates Humes so much. And she hates half-Viera, half-Humes even more."

Mjrn watched her twins and niece from a distance. Jote didn't know they were out here, and she wasn't about to tell her. She was NOT an unfit mother! She had known what she was doing when she conceived her children. She was ready to be a mother, despite being young. And she had helped Jote take care of Myko when Fran had left her to the older Viera's care. When Vinka was born, Mjrn had taken care of her _and_ led the entire village for two months while Jote was recovering. She was a responsible young Viera, and she could take care of her own children!

Janzyn and Lena usually took care of Janson. Mjrn had long ago made a promise to Janzyn that if she bore him a son, he and his barren sister could take care of the child. It was the closest thing Lena would ever have to children of her own. She had gotten sick when she was a child, and it left her sterile. Lena also seemed to have a thing for Jote, but Mjrn didn't want to think about it. Mjrn had gotten very sick when she was only a few weeks old, and it nearly killed her. It did kill her mother. Mjrn considered herself lucky she didn't end up like Lena. Rabbitpox could do very bad things to Viera besides killing them, and Lena's case was horrible.

Mjrn had gone off one night soon after Myko was born and had spent about a week away from Eruyt Village, in the Wood. She had not been alone, and when she returned home, she was pregnant with the twins. Lord Janzyn had only been with her for a short time during the week, but it was obvious he was the father of Mjrn's son. Janson looked just like him! The Wood knew all about her Viera, and she confirmed it. Janzyn was the father of Janson, hence the boy's name. Slya's father was a wild Viera male who called himself Rush. Mjrn had ran into Rush on her way home from seeing Janzyn, and decided to amuse him.

Fran and Jote had both told Mjrn not to mess with men for her own good at least once. The two of them had made very big mistakes involving men. Fran would still mess with Humes, which was how she had Myko. Jote liked Viera males, when she was young; she'd go and sneak them into the village unnoticed until she was caught by Fran once. She would tell Mjrn repeatedly not to be with Lord Janzyn, since she could do so much better. In fact, Mjrn had just gone and slept with Lord Janzyn the first time to defy Jote and prove that she wasn't a child. Then she decided she needed to have a child to prove her sisters wrong about her being an unfit mother. The young Viera had realized that her sisters were right when she started having intense morning sickness. She had spent most of her pregnancy at home, she was always so sick. She was so happy when she finally gave birth to her twins.

And now Mjrn was a very proud young Viera. She had proven to be a good leader after all, since she had done such a good job while Jote was recovering from having Vinka. Hala was supposed to be the temporary leader, but Mjrn had refused to obey her, and went so far as to attack her and try to establish dominance, which she succeeded in doing. She was her mother's daughter after all, and her mother was an excellent leader.

Not only was Mjrn an effective leader, but she was a good mother too. She was perfectly capable of taking care of her twin children, despite what some Viera said. She was somewhat overprotective of her kids, though. She'd go to great lengths for the well-being of her children. Until Myko was born, Mjrn was considered one of the "little" Viera. Myko was raised with Hala's daughter Gaia, but never managed to connect with her the same way she did with her cousins. And Gaia was a mere three days older than Myko! There were now quite a few little Viera in the village. Mjrn was seen as a young adult now, finally. She had hated being seen as a child by all of the elder Viera.

The kids went home later. Jote knew what was going on, since the Viera know all that comes to pass in their Wood, and Jote especially wouldn't allow anything to happen to Myko. As long as Myko was safe, Jote was doing the will of the Wood. The Wood had chosen her to take care of the little half-Hume born of Fran, and she had to do it if she wanted to be favoured by the Wood. Surely, Vinka was proof of Jote being favoured! Viera supposedly could only have kids if they were favoured by the Wood, even though Fran couldn't possibly be favoured! She had abandoned the Wood and ran off with Humes.

"Myko! What have you been doing?!" Jote yelled at her niece. Vinka was hiding behind her legs. Vinka was only about a year old, and was rarely anywhere where she couldn't at least see her mother. Delf said that Tyra had once spent some time in Eruyt Village a long time ago, and she remembered Jote being exactly like that when she was little. Tyra was a very old Viera, being several hundred years old. Arlisa Village would probably need a new leader soon, with all of the problems Tyra had started having recently.

"I have done nothing." Myko said.

"Myko-chan, have you ever heard of 'The Viera who Cried Coeurl?'"

"No, but it sounds like a _fascinating_ story. You will really have to tell me it sometime."

"None of your mouth! Sit down and listen. Slya? Janson? You two would do well to join your cousin."

"Can I hold Vinka so she can listen too?" Myko asked.

"Sylva does not yet understand, Myko."

"She knows your voice, and I like to hold her."

"Leave her be. Listen well. There once was a young Viera who was training to become a wood-warder, and thought it to be amusing to make the other Viera believe there was a coeurl attacking the village. She called out 'Help! A coeurl!', but when the other Viera arrived, there was no coeurl. The young Viera thought it was great fun, so she called out 'Help! A coeurl!' again. Her comrades came, but there was still no coeurl. The Viera decided not to fall for it again. Then a coeurl came for real. The girl cried out for help, but the other wood-warders did not believe her and did not come to help her. And then the coeurl devoured the young Viera. And he lived happily ever after." Jote recited.

"…Moral of that story: believe every darn thing another Viera tells you, no matter how many times she lies to you, or she'll be eaten by a coeurl." Myko added.

"That most certainly is NOT the moral of the story!"

"That story needs more pizzazz. Nobody is going to believe it if it's boring like that. That story is so lackluster I would've fallen asleep if it had been longer. Theatrics are an essential part of storytelling, I believe."

Jote gave Myko an angry glare. The little half-Viera would often talk like that, and sometimes made Jote want to slap her clear across the village. That kid didn't remember her parents, but she had a wild streak that reminded the Viera of her mother, and her attitude reminded the Viera of Myko's Hume father.

"I think I will direct a more pleasing version of that story. The young Vieras will know the tale of 'The Viera who Cried Coeurl!' I will play the Viera!"

"Myko, you will do no such thing!"

"Aunt Jote, I am the leading lady, and you cannot change that."

Mjrn began laughing. Myko sounded exactly like her father sometimes. Her sarcasm and sense of humour were not Vieran, and that made Jote angry. Myko was only to be known as Myko. If it got out that she was not only Myko, but Myko Lapin Bunansa, half-Viera daughter of Fran and Balthier, Eruyt Village (and Jote) would be the laughing stock of the Wood! Only very few Viera knew of Myko's heritage.

"Mjrn, that is not funny. Do you realize what could be revealed if she starts talking like her father?" Jote asked in a whisper.

"I thought that remark was cute."

"It will be really cute when some common Viera discovers that our niece is half-Hume and teases her or even worse, tries to kill her."

"Okay. No need to be sarcastic. I'll put a stop to it. Myko? Come here NOW!"

"Mjrn, go do something else. I'll talk to Myko. Just take Janson home. Janzyn probably wants to see him. He's been here a while."

Mjrn picked up her kids and headed out of the village before the carnage ensued. She was going to find herself some amusement, and that meant she needed to see her lover, Lord Janzyn. And she knew Janzyn would want to see Janson and Slya.

Janzyn was waiting excitedly for his son to come back from visiting his mother. Janzyn adored Mjrn, and would let her have as much time as she wanted with their son as long as she allowed him to spend time with the boy. Sometimes Slya would even stay with Lord Janzyn, as Janzyn treated her like his daughter. He knew that Rush was Slya's father, but he also knew that Rush had never even seen his child. He didn't want her to feel bad because her brother got to be with his father and aunt. Lena loved having Slya around too. The only other female Viera that visited were Janzyn's latest girlfriends and they never stayed too long. Lena didn't fit in with her two other sisters either. Both of them had families, something barren Lena could never have.

Mjrn brought Janson and Slya personally. She usually sent Janson with one of the other Viera. Janzyn had not seen Mjrn for a while. Whenever she came around, Janzyn was usually in for some fun. The two Viera were in love, and Mjrn wanted to eventually bear Janzyn more children, just not for a while. The two had been together in every sense of the word more than once. Jan decided he'd send the kids off with Lena and he'd carry Mjrn up into his room, and they'd spend hours together.

"Hey Mjrn. What's up? It's been a while, darling." Janzyn said. Mjrn hugged him. Janzyn fought down the urge to throw her down and take her then and there.

"I'm just here so the kids can see Lena and you. Of course, if you have something else in mind first, I'd be happy to do whatever you want." Mjrn said. Janzyn smiled at her.

"I'd love to give you another lesson in Viera love. How about it? We could send the kids with Lena, and then we can play our own little game."

"Janson? Slya? Lena would love to spend some time with you, outside." Mjrn said. Lena led the twins outside.

"Mjrn, let's go."

"Make love to me Janzyn."

"That was the plan, my dear."

Janzyn scooped Mjrn up into his arms and carried her upstairs. Then the two made love while Lena kept the kids busy outside. Mjrn had always liked the way Lord Janzyn made her feel. And Janzyn adored his Mjrn. The first time Mjrn had allowed Janzyn access to her sweet spot was a triumph for both of them. Janzyn had gotten some lovin' from his Mjrn-chan, and Mjrn had proven she was no child.

Lena taught the kids how to fight coeurls. All Viera had to know how to do that. Mjrn watched after she and Janzyn had relations. She knew how to fight coeurls, but she wanted to know how to fight them better. She had met Lena after saving her from coeurls and taking her home to Janzyn's place. The first words Janzyn had spoken to Mjrn were if she'd like her reward to be a night with him. Mjrn opted for a favour, which she used to make Janzyn allow Fran to have her baby at his place. That night was special for Mjrn too. It was the night she lost her virginity to Janzyn.

"What are you watching?" Janzyn asked, wrapping his arms around Mjrn's waist.

"Your sister playing with our baby and his sister."

"Mjrn, do you want to give him a full sibling?"

"Someday, Jan. Not yet. When we do, I hope we have a little Mjrn. Wouldn't that be great?"

"I have many daughters, but it would definitely be wonderful. Our own little girl."

Mjrn smiled. She liked the idea of having more kids, but not for a while. Being pregnant with her twins had made her one miserable bunny, but she wanted to have more little Viera. And then Jote almost died having Vinka, and that shook up all the Viera, especially Mjrn.

Myko was having a miserable experience with Jote, Vinka, and Jote's current male partner Marl. Marl was the father of Vinka, and Jote had very strong feelings for him. Marl usually hung around. Myko could not stand him at all.

"Listen to me! Don't talk like some kind of actress again! You hear me? The other Viera may begin to suspect that you are part Hume, and they could kill you. The Wood would never forgive me, and on a lesser level, Fran would never forgive me!" Jote yelled.

"You will never understand me, will you? I have to fulfill the desires of my soul. I am an actress by nature, and nobody can change who I am! Myko Lapin Bunansa cannot be recast!" Myko cried happily.

"That's what I'm talking about! The actress talk! You don't even really know your father! How did you pick up on his habit?"

"Aunt Mjrn told me all about my parents."

"I hope Mjrn feels good about that. I'm going to have to punish her. She's trying to sabotage you, evidently."

"Jote, Mjrn adores Myko. She would never try to cause anyone to harm the girl." Marl argued.

"Is she really that fond of the girl?"

"You don't notice? And Mjrn is your sister! She loves Myko so much. Almost as much as her own babies. And she loves our little Vinka too."

"Everyone loves Sylva. And Mjrn knows the girl is special. I just hope Mjrn isn't with that Janzyn guy again. You know what I mean. I know she went to see him, but I really hope she just left her kids there and is heading home. I tell her repeatedly to stay away from him, but she's always with him. The night Myko was born; I caught them together, so I know she's been with him more than just the time she got pregnant."

"We were together many times before you conceived Vinka."

"I love my Sylva."

"You never call her Vinka. And you were the one who came up with the nickname, after your mother's favourite flower."

"I named her Sylva, after my mother. Vinka is just what the other Viera are to call her."

"Where do baby Viera come from?" Myko asked. Jote looked shocked at the question. Marl laughed.

"I'll tell you when you're old enough to understand." Jote responded.

"Tell me! I want to know where Viera come from!" Myko insisted.

"I won't tell you! Not until you're older!"

"Aunt Jote, you're no fun!"

"And don't go asking the other Viera either! Especially not your Aunt Mjrn! She seems to think it's okay to tell little kids things they don't need to know!"

As soon as Mjrn came back, Jote had told her Myko's comment about being "recast". She did not tell her little sister about Myko's question so she wouldn't tell her anything. Mjrn was sore and just wanted to go home and rest while her kids were with Janzyn. Myko wouldn't let that happen. She went and sat next to her aunt.

"Hiya Aunt Mjrn! How are you?" Myko asked.

"Myko, Aunt Mjrn doesn't feel so well. Please go harass Jote or something." Mjrn whined.

"Myko-chan loves her Aunt Jote, but she is no fun. She won't even tell Myko-chan where little Viera come from! Aunt Mjrn, where do baby Viera come from?"

"Little Viera are gifts from the Wood. Leave me alone. I already told you I don't feel well."

"Are you hurt? When I get hurt, Aunt Jote has Miss Hala put all kinds of plants on my cut. And sometimes the plants have juice in them that hurt worse. Want me to go get plants?"

"That's sweet, but plants won't help me. I'm not hurt, really. Sheesh. Jote wasn't kidding. Your mouth really is getting you into trouble, you cute little pest. I kind of wish your mother was around. She'd know how to stop you from getting yourself in trouble. I miss her."

Myko's little blue eyes lit up. "What is my mother like? I don't remember her." She wondered. Mjrn smiled at the little half-Viera.

"Fran is special. She isn't content living her life here in the Wood. She wants to be free. If I hadn't met Janzyn and been given my little blessings from the Wood, I probably would've followed her. I left the Wood once, and it was the most miserable experience of my life. Far worse even than when I gave birth to Slya and Janson, but I probably would've grown accustomed to it. You don't want to leave. Viera who leave the Wood are Viera no more."

"I am not a Viera to begin with! My father is a Hume, and my mother is a Viera. I am both Viera and Hume, but I live with Viera. I am not a Viera! I am only part Viera!"

Mjrn hugged Myko "Pure Viera or not, you are still Fran and Balthier's little girl, and Fran is my sister. You are my niece, and I love you so much. I wasn't able to see you being born, because I was… well, young Viera aren't allowed to watch another Viera have a child. I was… in the same house though. And I saw you when you were newborn. I loved you from the start. I love you almost as much as I love my twins."

"I hope you feel better."

"I will. You don't understand what I'm feeling. And it's better that you don't. I'll be better in a while. Don't worry about me. I do this all the time. Just don't tell Jote about this. She doesn't like when I do this."

Myko climbed up on Mjrn's lap and just sat there. Mjrn had always allowed Myko to do this. Myko was smaller than a pureblood Viera child, and that made her all the easier to hold. Mjrn wasn't in _that_ much pain. Enough to make her want to rest it off, but not enough to cripple her. Janzyn would never hurt his Mjrn-chan that way.

"You aren't going to let me rest, are you?" Mjrn asked her niece. Myko smiled.

"It's my job to make sure everyone can perform at their best."

"Jote would smack me if she heard that kind of talk out of you."

Jote had a plan. She was going to have to work harder to train Myko. Everything that even sounded like something out of a Hume's mouth would result in a time out. Some of her advisors had given her the idea to do this. They knew of Myko's bloodline. They knew her father was a Hume. They didn't like her very much.

**That's all for Chapter One. Next, Mjrn and her kids will try to calm Jote down about her idea to punish Myko. And Lord Janzyn, everyone's favourite crazy male Viera will make more appearances. Please Review. I made sure not to make this as long as the first chapter of The Eternal Question (I think most looked at the length of the first chapter and didn't want to read the rest of it. The other two chapters are shorter. I have gotten some reviews, but I would love more.)**


	2. Chapter 2

Viera Actress

Chapter 2: Myko and Janzyn

**Hello! Your favourite Viera-hearted writer here. This chapter will involve more actress-talk, and a bigger part for everyone's favourite pain-in-the-rear male Viera Lord Janzyn. By the way, Lord Janzyn goes over so well with my readers (despite what he does to Mjrn) that my brother is writing a spin-off: The Hunters of the Stars series, and the first story in the series is Hunt of the Self-Proclaimed Lord, where these five interesting hunters (a temperamental Hume, an incredibly cute yet deadly Moogle, a female Nu Mou, a hypersensitive Bangaa, and a retarded Viera) hunt Lord Janzyn mercilessly (I like to advertise, heh-heh). In this chapter, Jote decides to put her plan to purge poor little Myko's Hume half into action, and Mjrn has to find a way to stop it, so she gets her ever-so-happy-to-help-for-a-price boyfriend's help.**

Myko despised sitting still and behaving. It was not in her nature. Being wild was part of her, being on the move was in her blood. Flight was carved into her mind. Jote was desperately trying to teach her, but that involved sitting still and Myko could not so she had to be restrained. Whoever restrains a Viera might as well be killing her! At least according to Myko-chan.

So Myko decided to go Berserk on her Aunt Jote. Good thing she was smaller than a normal Viera child and wasn't strong enough to cause any real damage during her short-lived rampage. Jote noted that if she wanted to teach the child anything, she'd have to chain her up or something.

Jote knew that if Myko's Hume half was revealed, it was like signing the girl's death warrant. Even if the Viera of Eruyt Village accepted Myko Lapin Bunansa for who and what she was, there was no way every Viera in the Wood would, and certainly some would attempt to kill the child because of the fact that she was part Hume. And Myko could not defend herself yet. Despite that, she'd still wander around in the Wood. It was best to keep the secret away from Viera who weren't either Fran's relatives or those who were with Jote when she found out that her sister was pregnant.

And Jote could NOT allow Myko to be killed. The Wood had charged her specifically to take good care of that little girl. The Wood knew all when it came to Viera. She knew that Fran wasn't able to take care of her love child. Jote wanted to have more children, and as long as she took good care of Myko, she could try and have kids. The Wood had already blessed her once, with a little girl named Sylva, aka Vinka. Jote wanted more little Viera. She was becoming like her mother, who wanted nothing more than to have lots and lots of kids. She had borne six, but only Jote, Fran, Mjrn, and their half-brother Delf had survived. Two more little girls had died: one was stillborn, the other died of rabbitpox a few days after she was born.

Jote worried about having more kids though. She had nearly died giving birth to Vinka. Mjrn had to lead the village for a few months after that. Mjrn, of course, didn't seem to have much trouble giving birth to her twin children. She had wandered off into the Wood alone and had them without any problems. Jote needed help, Mjrn did not. And Jote was supposedly the stronger of the two!

Back to Myko. Jote was trying to hold the girl still, trying to keep the enraged half-Viera child from clawing her face. And this only made Myko angrier.

"Darn it, stay still! I want to teach you something!" Jote roared.

"Don't bother. That mutant spawn of Fran's isn't going to listen. Just nail the little half-breed freak across the head with a rod. Knock her out. She'll come to eventually, her senses back." Rael said. The advisors didn't like Myko. They wouldn't hurt her, but they still detested her and everything about her. Jote gave Rael a Look. Nobody was supposed to call Myko-chan names like that. And the few who knew Myko was half-Hume could not call her half-breed. If a common Viera heard a comment like that, they'd know Myko was Balthier's daughter, and chaos would ensue.

"Nobody ever succeeds in capturing the leading lady!" Myko cried, leaping into the air and sailing right over Jote's furry ears. Sheesh, that girl was quite the acrobat. That was something all the Viera noticed. It wasn't every Viera who could move like that kid. Alja, one of the Salve-makers, could barely move well at all on one of her legs. Myko could leap several feet in the air.

"That is no Viera! That is a rabbit!" Hala cried out. Myko bounded away.

"I swear, she is going to learn to listen if I have to chain her to a tree to be able to teach her without her running off or doing this kind of thing." Jote complained.

"The little freak ran off toward Mjrn's hut. That brat loves her Aunt Mjrn. I can't believe that thing came out of Fran. Fran was always so pretty. Why did she have to sleep with that Hume and have that little monster? It baffles me. If she had to have a child, she should've come back here against your will and found a male Viera to screw her. I know a few who would've gladly done it." Rael stated.

"Rael, another comment like that, and I'm going to tie you to a tree and use you for target practice! That was not only rude, that was tasteless."

"Not to mention heartless!" Neve yelled.

"Neve, stay out of this!" Rael hissed.

"Rael, you know that Jote's fight is our fight. You have been an advisor for a longer time than I have. You should know that!" Arla yelled.

"Of course I know that! I used to work for Sylva! And Jote is no Sylva! She's nothing like her mother!"

"Rael, you worked for Sylva for about two months! She hired you shortly before Mjrn was born. You spent years as my advisor! Your daughter Dana will be my Vinka's advisor!"

"I hope your daughter lives up to par with your mother! Her name is also Sylva, and as that, she has a lot to live up to."

Myko went straight to Mjrn. Mjrn was always there for her niece. Both were raised by Jote, neither knew their mothers very well (even though Myko's mother was still very much alive). They were two of a kind in many other ways. And Mjrn adored Myko more than any other Viera did. She loved the child almost as much as her twins.

"Myko, what do you want?" Mjrn yelped when Myko rushed in.

"She's trying to kill me!" Myko screeched.

"Who? What? Are you mad?! MYKO-CHAN! CALM YOURSELF DOWN!"

"Jote. She was trying to make me hold still and listen."

"The fiend."

"Be nice to me! And then stupid annoying Rael starts calling me nasty names. And then I start fighting Jote so I can move. And then I escape, and I hear some horrible things out of Rael's mouth about me and my parents."

"What do you want me to do? I can't stand up to Jote."

"I just need love."

"Jote and I love you. And Slya and Janson. And your mother and father love you, even though they let you go. They let you go because they love you so much. They couldn't put you in the kind of danger they have to face daily."

"I want my mommy." Myko whimpered. She climbed up onto her aunt's lap and rested her head on her shoulder.

"I'm definitely not Fran, but am I good enough at least?"

"You're an excellent understudy."

"Will you stop that? That's what gets you in trouble. That actress talk. Lena says that nobody can change who you are, but talking like that makes us afraid that someone is going to find out about your father. He's very well known, even though I don't think too many Viera know him that well. And they might hurt you. We don't want to see you get hurt. I think Jote sees you as little more than her ticket to little Viera. I'm sure she does love you, but it goes deeper than that. She takes good care of you just because the Wood says she has to. I care about you more than that."

"Why am I her ticket to little Viera? Marl is her ticket to little Viera! He's her mate!"

"I'll tell you when you're older. Honey-bunny, I think I have to go locate Jan. He might know how to help."

"Jote says that he doesn't help you. He just uses you to do something, and then she finds out that I'm there listening and clams up."

"Myko, your grandmother always told your mother and Jote to follow their hearts. I'm sure she would've wanted me to do that too. My heart leads me to Janzyn. I'm young, but I am smart enough to make my own decisions about love. And I'm not too young to have children, and I'm not an unfit mother!"

"What can I do about Rael?"

"Forget her. She's mean. It may have something to do with Kira. Kira was her only sister, and she was born blind. She ran off into the Wood to avoid the other Viera, who would torment her. Rael misses her, and may take out her loneliness on other Viera because of how Kira was teased."

"She doesn't need to call me a freak, or make comments about my blood."

Janzyn was waiting for some excitement. It had been a week since Mjrn had brought her kids to stay with him and Lena. Having a girl like Mjrn around helped the self-proclaimed Lord of the Wood sleep better at night! Mjrn and Janzyn seemed made for each other sometimes. They couldn't get enough of each other.

Mjrn went to Janzyn's to procure a favour from her lover. Janzyn was teaching his son how to use Blue Magick. Mjrn watched for a while. She had only ever seen Jan use Blue Magick once. Jan was one of only a few Viera who could even use Blue Magick, the magick of monsters. And evidently, Janson was also capable of using it.

"Hey Mjrn! Watch this! Janson shocked the heck out of me earlier by using Goblin Punch on a dummy Lena had set up. I had no idea my son had my gift!" Janzyn exclaimed.

"Did you teach him any more techniques or does he have to learn them from the monsters?" Mjrn asked.

"I taught him a few. He picks up abilities quite easily. Easier than I do and I've been training for decades. Ever since ol' Dock realized I had the gift of Blue Magick."

"Dock?"

"My father, sort of. He wasn't my real father. I have no idea who my biological father was. Dock found me soon after I was born. My mother died giving birth to me, and Dock found me and raised me as his son. He taught me everything I know. He was astounded to discover that I had the power to use Blue Magick. He doesn't have the ability, but he had me practice my techniques. I only know a few techniques, living in the Wood. Like that malboro one we always hear about. That's cool to use. Blue Magick ability is an extremely rare ability in Viera. A lot of Humes have the power, though. They just don't use it much anymore."

Mjrn came close to Janzyn. "I need a favour only you can give." She whispered in his ear. Janzyn scooped the young Viera into his arms. Mjrn got upset. "Not THAT kind of favour. At least, not at this second."

"You could've said that you weren't here for love. That could've saved me some energy. I'm all excited now. Sheesh." Janzyn said. He put Mjrn down.

"Well, we can save it for after you help Myko. You're the only one I can think of who can help. If you help, I'm sure making wild, hot, intense love to me will be all the more rewarding."

"Mjrn, I don't know if I can wait."

"You're gonna have to, Mr. One-track Mind. Myko needs our help."

"She doesn't need it this second, does she?" Janzyn's arms were creeping around Mjrn's waist.

"I suppose not. But even so, we can't do this right now."

"Sure we can. I'm already good to go, and you seem pretty tense right now."

Mjrn grinned at Janzyn. "You know me."

"Better than any other Viera knows you. C'mon. Let me take you out in the Wood, and we can have fun. Or we could go upstairs again."

"I don't know if this is such a good idea. Look at Janson. He's getting interested."

"Janson? Go find Aunt Lena and Slya and play with them!" Janson ran off. Janzyn picked Mjrn up again. "Now where were we?"

"Janzyn! NO! I mean it! Not until we're done!" Mjrn yelled. Janzyn looked disappointed.

"Well, I suppose I can't win them all, can I?"

"Nope. Come with me. Jote is not going to like this at all, but it's all I can think of."

Myko was sound asleep. Mjrn had waited until she was asleep to go and find Janzyn. She was on the floor, but that was where she slept ninety percent of the time. She didn't like sleeping in beds. She'd either zone out on the floor, or outside. Fran used to have a sort of nest at home, and Myko would often sleep there. Myko always wanted her mother to come back for good, but she knew the Viera would never accept Fran again. Fran was dead to most of the Viera.

In Myko's dreams, her mother and father lived with her. She knew they really did love her, but she wished they could be with her. Every so often a Moogle would come by with a letter from Fran and Balthier for the girl. At least she wasn't totally cut off from her parents! Myko knew that they had left her in Eruyt Village for her own good. She just didn't understand it.

Myko was conceived from a one-night stand between Fran and Balthier. It was the Viera breeding season and Fran didn't think that Viera could have children with Humes. Next thing Fran knew, she was pregnant with her daughter. Myko was born a year and a half later, since Viera had longer pregnancies than Humes. Myko was born smaller than any pureblood Viera child, since Viera were larger than Humes. The young half-Viera had very few of her father's features, but perhaps that explained her behaviours. If she looked like a Viera, maybe she'd act like a Hume. She did have Hume blood in her, after all.

Myko enjoyed sleeping in her mother's old home. It made her feel better about not having her mother around. The Wood was Myko's mother now, just like it was the mother of the rest of the Viera. Myko's long ears twitched in her sleep. The girl was having a nice dream about her mother and father. To the pureblood Viera, the Wood was all, but to Myko there was more. To Myko… she didn't even know what it was yet, but there was something missing besides her parents in her life.

Mjrn brought Janzyn back and they found Myko asleep. They didn't want to wake her up, so they spoke quietly.

"I can't believe how hard Jote has been pushing her. She wants to train Myko so badly. I fear she may start doing this to our son and Slya, and then to Vinka. She doesn't understand that Myko isn't ready for this kind of intense training. She's still just a baby." Mjrn said sadly. Janzyn put his arm around her.

"She probably thinks that just because Myko is half Viera, she ages faster and needs to be trained sooner than other Viera kids." Janzyn said softly. Myko rolled onto her side, facing Mjrn and Jan. The two pure Viera both thought the child was so cute, especially when she was asleep.

"I can't let that happen. Myko is a baby, and she can't be forced to train like an adult Viera."

"What are we going to do?"

"I hoped you'd have an idea, Jan. I'm clueless."

"Besides doing something that would get me killed, I don't have any idea. If Jote finds me here, she's going to eat me alive. She hates me so much, and I don't know why."

"It's because of me. She's afraid that you're going to hurt me still."

"We have a son together! What's it gonna take to convince her?"

"That's the issue. Once ol' Jote gets an idea in her head, nobody can convince her otherwise. That's my problem. She will train Myko if it kills them both. And if she pushes Myko-chan too hard…"

"…she might just kill Myko." Janzyn finished. Myko stirred. Her little blue eyes opened.

"Good morning Aunt Mjrn. Hello Mr. Janzyn, it sure is nice to see you again." Myko said.

"Praise the mother! The cute little Viera girl remembers Uncle Janzyn!" Janzyn stated happily.

"Aunt Jote says that I have to call adults either Miss or Mister, except for my aunts and Uncle Delf."

"At least Jote is trying to make you polite. Two points for her, but she still needs therapy." Mjrn said.

"Therapy sounds like a good idea. I know a Viera who got therapy. She's about your age, Mjrn-chan. Her name is Kjna, and she used to have this insane desire to kill anyone who didn't do everything she wanted. Supposedly she killed a Hume out of self-defense because he was trying to force himself on her, and that experience warped her. She finally realized she had a problem, and found herself a therapist. Now she has a husband and a child of her own. She came from Tarva Village, like my mother and my dearly departed Tana." Janzyn remarked.

"I think I've heard of a 'Killer Kjna' from Delf. His father was from Tarva Village, and Delf has been there before. I wish I knew my father, but ninety percent of Viera have no idea who their father is. Jote says that she doesn't even know if the two of us has the same father. She says that she and Fran are definitely full sisters, 'cause Mom told her so and Mom would've never lied about something that important. I never had the chance to ask Mom about that kind of thing. Jote and Fran may only be my half-sisters, but that doesn't make any difference to me."

"All I knew was a father figure. Dock had trouble attracting the ladies. He never attracted a female Viera. That's where I was useful when I got old enough. I left him to try and find my home village. Tana let me in, and I got in such trouble. Dock says that I have a silver tongue. I haven't seen the old guy for years. Last I heard he was still alive. Someday I'll go see him. He raised me practically since the day I was born, and I can't just forget about him. He was my father after all."

"Jote and Fran were sort of like mothers to me. Especially the former. She had to keep Fran in line too. You know, I never knew either of my parents either. I had my sisters though, and sometimes Delf."

"I'll have to ask Kjna about the therapist. I'll go to Tarva Village, try to avoid Kara, and get that therapist to see Jote."

"And Jote will inform Kara. She knows Kara quite well, actually. They get along, unlike her and Arlisa Village's Tyra the Terror. Of course, nobody gets along with Tyra. Delf says that the Viera in Arlisa Village can't wait until Tyra dies and her oldest daughter takes over. Her daughter is less extreme. Delf thinks that Tyra is manic-depressive. I can't stand Tyra myself. Kara is a lot like Jote. She's a good leader, in her own way. She is one of the younger village leaders."

Myko was getting upset. She had just awakened from a nice nap, and was now listening to her aunt and her boyfriend figure out how to make Jote angrier. Everything made Jote angry, except little Vinka. Vinka made Jote happy.

Janzyn knew that going back to Tarva Village was dangerous. He wasn't allowed there. A long time ago, he had caused a lot of trouble there and Kara's mother had kicked him out for good. When she died, Kara became the leader. And Janzyn had slept with her during the short time he had lived there. Janzyn had actually been with nine Viera women from Tarva Village in his stay, and three of the Tarvan wood-warders gave him children. Janzyn had never even been allowed to see his daughters. Kara had sworn to kill Janzyn if she ever saw him again.

Janzyn knew that Kjna would be in Tarva Village with her husband Tyrs and their little daughter Saja. Saja was a few years older than Myko, but was pure Viera and thus didn't age as fast. It took a lot of persuasion on Mjrn's part to get Janzyn to go to Tarva Village, but she could be very persuasive. Janzyn would've done it for less than Mjrn offered him. She didn't have to go as far as allowing him to have the kids for two months. He would've done it for a week with them.

Janzyn's sister Mona gave him access. Jan was dressed up as a female. Mona only knew it was Janzyn because of her pet miniature coeurl Whiskers. Whiskers liked everyone, except for Janzyn. Nobody knew why. The cat absolutely hated Janzyn and would attack him on sight.

"Where is Kjna?" Janzyn asked.

"Why don't you want to see me? You haven't visited for ages!" Mona complained.

"I'm here as a favour to a very sexy Viera woman from Eruyt Village. I need to see Kjna."

"Jan, if Kara finds out that you're here, you'll be killed."

"That's why I'm dressed like a lady."

Mona took Janzyn to Kjna's place. A very pregnant Kjna was outside with Saja. She looked happy to see Mona.

"Hello Miss Mona. Who is your friend?" Kjna asked.

"Don't tell Kara I'm here." Janzyn pleaded.

"Don't tell me that you're Lord Janzyn. You look like a woman." Kjna said.

"You're a bright girl. I dressed up to fool Kara. I like you. Such a pity that you're married. I hate it when all the really sexy Viera decide to get married. Then their husbands get mad when I do my thing, if you know what I mean."

"If it wasn't for Tyrs, I'd still be a killer. And I never would've been able to have babies. I love little Viera."

"I love 'em too. That's why I have fifty-six so far, and seven more on the way. It's been a very good year for the Lord of the Wood." Janzyn said.

"What do you want?"

"The name of your therapist. I need her to come to the Wood, to Eruyt Village. My Mjrn wants her to help her sister."

It was time for Myko's training. Viera breeding season was upon the Wood, and Jote had a distraction. Marl used to be the leader of the male Viera, now he was Jote's mate. The two of them would train Myko, as long as Marl kept calm. Mjrn would have to be watched too, or she'd be sneaking off to play with Janzyn.

"Today, we're going to learn how to string bows. Myko, your mother was very good at this." Jote said. Marl was standing off to a side. He was uneasy.

"Where do…" Myko began to ask her question again when Rael threw a stone at her. "OW! What was the bloody reason for that? I get the impression you're the bad guy in this tale! I just want to know where baby Viera come from! Is that so wrong?"

"You don't get to ask that until you're old enough to _have_ little Viera. Of course, we'll never let you. You can't taint more good pure Viera blood with your Hume blood!" The advisor growled.

"Rael, what in the Wood is wrong with you?!" Jote hissed. Marl chose that moment to come up behind her and began kissing the back of her neck. Myko's eyes went wide. "Marl, stop it. It can wait until later. Later we can do whatever we want. Look at Myko, she's interested. What are you thinking, doing this with an impressionable child around?"

"Myko wants to know where little Viera come from. Marl saw that as an excuse to show her. You know how uncontrollable the males are this time of year." Rael remarked.

"You be quiet! MARL! STOP THAT! I MEAN IT!" Jote raged. Marl backed off. Rael roared with laughter. Jote motioned for her other advisors.

"Jote, shall we take her outside and find men?" Neve asked. Jote nodded.

"I can't. Little Viera are no good for me now. I'm not much older than Mjrn." Alja said.

"Well, we're gonna. C'mon Rael, don't you want to have a baby Viera?" Hala asked. Rael growled at her.

"No. I'm just gonna go tease Lena. She still thinks that I'm like that."

"STAY AWAY FROM EVERY MEMBER OF LORD JANZYN'S FAMILY, AND ESPECIALLY THAT LESBIAN SISTER OF HIS!!" Jote screamed.

"What is a les…?" Myko began. Jote looked shocked. She clapped her hand over Myko's mouth before the child could finish.

"You heard wrong. I didn't say anything like that. Now just try to string the bow the way I showed you."

Myko tried to string the bow, but got tangled up in the string and fell over, tied up. Jote had to untangle her.

"Fran could string a bow when she was half your age. Myko-chan, are you ever going to do anything right?"

**Poor Myko! The next chapter will have some Vinka action. She can't talk, but she can report when Myko and her cousins misbehave. I named her after a flower. Janzyn gets the name of the therapist, and Myko asks a bunch of questions, combined with the actress talk. Myko also starts to put together her production of "The Viera who Cried Coeurl" with a real coeurl involved! Thanks for the reviews so far! Ten Moogle points for all who sent reviews! SUBMIT MORE! REVIEWS KEEP ME WRITING! Myko may meet her parents eventually and that will be a very cute moment.**


	3. Chapter 3

Viera Actress Chapter 3

**Welcome back to the world of Myko and friends. This time, there is actually going to be a short scene involving Fran and Balthier. Jote calms down a little bit too. Mjrn and Janzyn find a half-Viera, half-Hume therapist for her, which naturally fascinates little Myko-chan (She realizes that she isn't the only half-Viera in the world). Vinka, Jote and Marl's baby, begins to give Myko problems (she can't talk, but she can make Jote come see what's wrong, getting Myko caught), and Slya and Janson return into the story. And flamers, how can you live with yourselves? Sheesh, if you have such a big stupid problem with what I write, just don't read it, simple as that!! Nobody is forcing you to read it. Minus a hundred Moogle points for you. Nice reviews, however, make me such a happy bunny! Bad news for those awaiting Lisaviera's "Fran Goes on Jerry Springer": My sister broke her computer. It will take a **_**very,**_** very long time to get the story released.**

Lena wandered through the forest, Slya at her side. The Viera woman cared very much for the child of Mjrn, even though Slya wasn't her niece. Janson was her nephew, but Slya had a different father than him. Lena always waited for Mjrn to pick up her twins. Jote had it in for her, since Lena had caused quite a few problems for the leader of Eruyt Village. Jote hated Lena. She wanted to see the woman dead by her claws, and if she ever saw her again… Lena didn't want to think about it. She liked Jote. As in liked her, liked her. Lena felt that since she was sterile, she didn't need men, and she went after women. This was a recent thing for her. Lena used to like males.

"Slya, what do you think of your Aunt Jote?" Lena asked. Slya was skipping along happily.

"She doesn't like me or Myko or Janson. She likes Vink, but Vink is her baby. Aunt Jote is scary." Slya replied. She kept skipping. Lena remembered when she was young. She used to be a happy Viera. Rabbitpox had really screwed her up. She had gotten it as an adult, and that made her the way she was. Mona and Tarj were lucky. They had been deliberately infected as children, as all young Viera were supposed to be.

"Slya, Jote is lucky she had Vinka. I cannot have children."

"Is that why you are my friend?"

"I like kids. And Jan doesn't want you to feel bad about your brother having both parents and you don't. And how you don't know Rush. I know him a little bit. He's quite a Viera. I know him somewhat."

Lena picked Slya up and began carrying her through the Wood, back to Janzyn's home. She was not allowed to take the twins home. That would result in her death. After she had done something horrible to Jote, the Viera banished her from the area of Eruyt Village.

"Miss Lena? Myko says that she wants your sister Mona to visit Eruyt Village and bring her pet coeurl Whiskers! He's going to be the coeurl in 'The Viera who Cried Coeurl!'"

"Whiskers? I'm sure Mona would love the idea of Whiskers being in Myko's play."

"I hope everyone likes her play. I know the Viera don't like her at all, but I hope her play goes over well. I know Myko doesn't go over well with everyone, but she does her best. If the Viera don't like the idea of her play, they don't have to see it."

"Myko is so innocent. I wish she could be with her parents."

Fran had been a bit more emotional since Myko was born. She had discovered feelings she never knew Viera could have. She wanted to return to the Wood and see her child and Mjrn. She hadn't seen either of them since Jote had had Vinka. She still didn't understand why Jote had allowed her and Balthier to go into the village during that time. Fran's feelings for Balthier had grown over the past few years, even though the two would probably never marry. It just wouldn't work. Viera did not marry, and they especially did not marry Humes!

Balthier had gotten some letter from Mjrn delivered by Moogle Mail Services. It was a strange letter. Mjrn seemed incredibly distressed, saying all kinds of things about Jote being nasty to Myko, and that she needed help. There was also mention of a therapist named Lyre that he and Fran had to go find in Rabanastre and bring to Jote. Lyre was apparently a half-Viera herself, and was raised by Viera in the Wood for a long time, until she left to find out about her Hume side. She knew exactly how the Viera mind worked, though, and was better than any Hume therapist. She had been the one who had straightened poor Kjna out after she went mad. Fran had once had a run-in with Kjna before she had gotten therapy. The girl was insane, and had attempted to kill her and Balthier. It was only by a miracle they had gotten away.

"Coordinates set. Now we can let the autopilot do the work." Balthier said.

"I hate the autopilot. It makes me feel useless." Fran remarked.

"You don't seem to be in the right mind to be flying. Is it that time of the year again?"

"Yes."

"I know what let's do! Let's give Myko a brother or sister!"

"ARE YOU MAD?! WE CAN'T EVEN TAKE CARE OF ONE CHILD! WE CAN'T INFLICT ANOTHER ON MY SISTERS, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT THEY HAVE THEIR OWN! AND IT WAS NOT PLEASANT AT ALL FOR ME!" Fran roared. She didn't realize that Balthier was kidding.

"Fran, it was a joke. I know perfectly well we don't want to go down that road again. At least not for a long time. I would enjoy being with you again, however."

"I am so not in the right mind for that kind of joke! Don't tempt me! We can wait until we get into the Wood and Hala can give me some contraceptive. Hala is foremost salve-maker, after all. Or we could visit Janzyn and his sister could give me the stuff too."

"NO! Last time we saw Lena, she showed a disturbing side of herself we never noticed when Myko was born. She's the leading lady who desires another leading lady."

"Lena is a lesbian."

"Precisely."

"Mjrn and Janzyn have a son though. That's what I am saying. I want to see Janson and Slya."

"What about Myko?"

Fran smiled. "There is nobody I would love to see more."

Myko was practicing the retarded script Rael wrote for her. Rael was being all pretend-friendly and deliberately wrote a stupid script for the innocent Myko.

"Miss Rael? How does this sound? 'I am the Viera, eat me Mr. Coeurl, for I am stupid and…'" Myko began reading. Then she figured it out. "WAIT A MINUTE! THIS IS INSULTING! AUNT JOTE! RAEL'S BEING MEAN TO ME!"

Jote snickered. Then she got all serious. "Rael quit it! Let Myko write her own script!"

"Myko can't write! You can't even make her sit still and listen for ten minutes without her acting like she's high on the Mist! You haven't managed to calm her down long enough to teach her how to write yet!" Rael complained.

"Then Mjrn can write the script. She's the artsy type. She used to write poetry all over the walls. We still haven't cleaned them all off."

"Mjrn is spending the week with Janzyn. She'll probably have more children with him soon. She did ask Hala for contraceptives, but I don't know if she was serious about wanting them or whether she just took 'em so you wouldn't worry about 'er."

Vinka looked at Myko, and Myko noticed her.

"Aunt Jote! My cousin is trying to get me in trouble!" Myko cried.

"Sylva is as pure as her hair is white! She isn't old enough to try and get you in trouble for something you haven't done! She's just a baby! You're the one trying to get someone in trouble. Isn't that right Sylva? Yes it is!"

"Wow. I have never seen Jote go all mushy like that. I didn't think it was in her nature." Alja said.

"I've never seen her like that either. She adores her daughter though. And she doesn't like how Myko acts towards Vinka." Hala said. Alja had been her apprentice once, and she still treated the young Viera as though she was her own child. Hala had a few children of her own, including a young daughter born two days before Myko-chan.

"I want Janzyn to get his sister Mona to bring Whiskers so he can be the coeurl!" Myko exclaimed happily.

"No. Janzyn's sisters are bad news." Jote snarled.

"Only Lena is. Mona is fine. She has a family and everything. She isn't barren like Lena." Arla stated.

"And I know Whiskers. He hates Janzyn so much! And nobody knows why!" Myko yelled delightedly.

"Well, if Myko Sue will shut up and go home, I'd like to revise this script. Don't worry Jote, I won't make the little mutant say anything insulting again. And by the way, how can she read when she can't even write?" Rael asked.

"Ask Mjrn. I think she taught Myko how to read using Moogle Mail letters from Fran and her pet Hume." Jote replied in an angry tone. She was so not in the mood to answer Rael's obnoxious questions. She wanted to go home and play with Marl.

"Janzyn, I don't want to play that game again!! I don't like pretending to be a captive that you force yourself on. I hate that game! It reminds me of that time I left the Wood and those Humes caught me and did unspeakable things! At least they didn't have their ways with me, but still it was ghastly!" Mjrn cried. Janzyn and her were doing a little role-playing.

"Okay, chill. What do you want?" Janzyn asked.

"Classic Viera love. Just throw me down and make love to me. Simple as that."

"You're no fun! C'mon! Let's try more role-playing! You get what you want, I get what I want. We're both happy."

"This role-playing is not making me happy. C'mon. Let's just get on with it. I adore you, and I want you to make love to me, and you were the one who asked last time and I said no."

"Where are Lena and the kids?"

"I sent them to find Mona and Whiskers. I know you wouldn't want to do that."

"Do you realize that it's the breeding season, and you might not be in your right mind? I know you don't want to have more children yet. I can't sleep with you if you're vulnerable. I don't want to get you pregnant if you don't want it."

"I made Hala give me something to keep me from having another child right now. We're safe."

Janzyn began stripping Mjrn. "That's all I needed to hear."

Mjrn laughed. "I know you all too well." She said.

"And yet, there's still more I will have to teach you."

"I'm a quick learner."

"You sure are."

A young brown-haired Viera had been charged to go to the Wood. She had never been there. She was born outside of the Wood from a rogue Viera. She had no idea why a Viera and a Hume, so much like her own parents, came to her and told her to go to the Wood and find a young woman named Mjrn. The Viera was named Ella, and she, like Myko, was not a full Viera. Her father was a Hume. Her mother hadn't left the Wood by choice, but she had done something awful and had been banished. She never told Ella what exactly it was that she had done.

Ella had grown up in Rabanastre, where her parents lived. When her father died, her mother fell into a deep depression, and Ella was all that kept her going. Ella wanted to find somebody to help her mother, but she couldn't find a therapist that would work with Viera. That inspired the girl to become a therapist that worked exclusively with Viera and half-Viera. And she did her job very well. She was, in fact, possibly the best in her field in all of Ivalice.

"Today's session went very well, Kaji. I think you should be fine. Now, if you start feeling like you are being forced to be with a Hume just because you live outside of the Wood and it starts disturbing you again, give me a call." Ella told one of her charges, a young Viera who was sure that she was being forced to marry a Hume just because male Viera (aside from a few instances from Janzyn, but Tarvans are allowed to do so) have not ever been known to leave the Wood.

"Thank you Ella. To tell the truth, when I found out you were only half Viera, I wasn't sure how well this would go, but wow. You understand the Viera mind like a pureblood!" Kaji exclaimed. She skipped off happily. It made Ella's heart happy to see Viera leave happy. She then started packing for her trip. She knew she'd need her gun as well as her therapy tools. Her mother would always tell her that the Wood was full of predators that would love to make a snack out of a defenseless Viera, and especially a rogue Viera who was returning, since she couldn't hear the Wood warn her about danger.

"I'm gonna go tell mama. I'll finally get to see what she's been telling me since I was a kitten." Ella said to herself. It was her way of remembering what she had to do. She used to not be able to remember to do things, and figured out that if she repeated what she had to do, it helped her remember. She also called young Viera kittens, since they look like rabbits and a kitten is a baby rabbit.

Ella went to her mother's home. Her mother was getting old, even for a Viera. At least Ella had helped her get over her depression as much as she could. She'd never get over losing her husband, but she wasn't trying to kill herself anymore. Ella didn't like to think of it. Her mother had tried to kill herself multiple times.

"Mama? Are you home?" Ella called. Her mother was in the living room, talking to a Hume woman.

"Ella. Remember Jenny?" Ella's mother asked. Ella nodded.

"Hello. Mama, I need to tell you something really, really important."

"Ella! Am I finally going to be a grandma?"

"Not that important." Ella replied with a smile. "I need to go somewhere. And it isn't going to be easy."

"Why is this so urgent?"

"I have to go to the Wood. I have a job involving an extremely important Viera, and she lives in the Wood, and her sister told me to find her. I'll get paid triple and everything. I'm worried about this job, and I want to tell you before I go, just in case something happens."

"Ella, you will be fine. You are my daughter, and you are very strong."

"I'll come straight home as soon as the job is done."

"Ella, if you find a mate and want to live with him, I will understand."

"You want me to have kids that badly, don't you? I'm sorry Mama. I have to do my job."

Myko was trying to help Alja revise her script. Rael had been told she wasn't allowed to help the girl write the script after she wrote two more insulting versions. Jote and Marl had gone home together, and Hala was told to supervise Alja and Myko, and also to take care of Vinka, who was screaming because she couldn't see her mother.

"Make that kid be quiet!" Arla cried, holding her long ears.

"I don't know if I can. Jote told me to watch her, and when this little blessing from the Wood can't see her mother, she gets really upset." Hala told her.

"Yep. And now our leader is trying to make another one. Perfect." Rael added.

"Rael, why are you so angry all the time?" Alja asked, looking away from Myko's script for a second to make eye contact with the older Viera.

"Here's a question, Alja! Why are you so interested in helping that mutant child of Fran's? You know she isn't one of us! She's the half-breed child of a rogue Viera! What was Jote thinking, taking that brat in?"

"Rael, be nice." Neve scolded. Rael charged at her and clawed her.

"HEY!! Stop that!" Myko yelled. "Rael, you're stealing the show! I'M THE STAR!!"

Rael walked off in a huff. She had been in a bad mood recently, and seeing Myko continuously didn't help matters. She hated Myko with a passion. She wanted nothing more than to see the girl _really_ get eaten by coeurls. She couldn't explain why she hated Myko so much, but she did. She was one of the first Viera to know that Fran was going to have Myko.

When Jote had Vinka, Rael had to take care of Myko for a while, and that might have been one of the reasons the Viera suddenly realized her hatred for the child. Myko was surprisingly intelligent, for a child her age, and that made Rael upset. A half-Viera that was smarter than most pure Viera made a mockery of their entire race! And the fact that Fran was the mother was even worse. Fran had left the Viera, and should've dealt with her own mistake, instead of dumping the little brat on Jote! Why in the world did Jote offer to care for that girl? She could've just as easily had one of her own!

Rael had only her daughter Dana. She didn't want to have a lot of children. All the other advisors except for Alja had a few kids. Alja was young and hadn't found a mate yet. Rael had messed around with many Viera, male and female. Even Jote didn't know this. And when Rael got angry, she'd go and throw herself at any Viera who wanted it. And it didn't matter who wanted her. She went out into the Wood and went to go find Viera who would want some entertainment. Maybe she'd find Rush, like she often did. Rush and her had been together so many times Rael had lost count. Rael had been furious when she found out that Mjrn had slept with Rush once, but she had gotten over it.

"What is her problem?" Myko asked

"Who knows?"

"So you told Fran to find Ella?" Janzyn asked Mjrn.

"Of course I did. We have nothing to do besides have fun all week long!" Mjrn replied. She pulled Janzyn into an intense kiss. Lena and the kids entered, but nothing was going on besides Janzyn and Mjrn kissing. Mjrn was smart enough to know that there was the possibility of being caught in the act by her kids. It wasn't so bad if only Lena caught them, even though it was horribly embarrassing, but if her kids caught her… Mjrn didn't want to imagine it.

"Hey there! How were my little angels?" Mjrn asked Lena.

"Perfect. Janson ran into this little girl, and didn't act at all like his father. He was the perfect little gentleman."

"That's excellent!"

"C'mon Mjrn! Janson acts like a perfect gentleman all of the time!" Janzyn protested.

"No, he does NOT!! He acts exactly like you sometimes. He told Myko last week that she is so beautiful that when she gets older all of the males will want her! He has no idea why the males would want her, but still…"

"And I'm sure Myko didn't like that remark." Lena stated.

"She didn't understand it. She thought it was funny."

"There seems to be something wrong with that child. What is it with her? I've heard some horrible things about her."

"Lena, you know Myko! You helped deliver her, remember?!" Janzyn yelped.

"I know. I never denied that I knew her. I just asked what the problem is with her."

"She's a baby and Jote is trying to make her train her tail off. I've heard that Humes that young are put in kindergarten, but they aren't trained like soldiers."

"Jan is right. A sweet little girl like Myko doesn't deserve to be treated like that. Jote is determined to make a Viera out of her, but I don't think it's right to try and train that girl the way she does. She's pushing Myko too hard. And Myko has a temper too. Jote came home last week with horrible claw marks all over her face. T'was the work of our favourite half-Viera, surely."

"My favourite half-Viera is my granddaughter Janet." Janzyn said.

"I know, but you do love my little niece, don't you?"

"Sure do."

"Now Vinka. You stay outta my way! I'm doing all kinds of important stuff to get my play ready, and I don't need a spoiled little baby Viera messing with everything I do!" Myko was screaming.

"Jote is not going to like this." Neve stated.

"Which one of you is Mjrn?" Asked a new voice. A brown-haired Viera was standing nearby. It was Ella.

"WHO THE HECK ARE YOU AND HOW'D YOU GET IN?!" Hala roared.

Ella smiled. "One of your people let me in when I told her I was the therapist that fixed Killer Kjna's mind," She said. "Now which one of you is Mjrn?"

Vinka looked at Ella and immediately got upset. Hala had just quieted her down too!

"What is wrong with the baby?" Ella asked. She picked Vinka up, and the little Viera tried to claw her. "Hey, that isn't going to work on me, little one. I know how the Viera mind works. You know that my scent is unknown, and therefore threatening to you. I know just how to assure you I'm no threat! Look what I have! Does the baby want a peppermint? This usually works."

Vinka was instantly more interested in the peppermint candy than anything else. She quieted down.

"How did you do that?" Myko asked.

"Babies aren't that hard to understand. The candy almost always works. Viera are my specialty. When my father died, my mother began losing the will to live. I became a therapist to help Viera, since I couldn't find a Viera therapist, only Hume therapists. I'm a half-Viera." Ella explained. Myko's eyes got wide.

"You're a half-Viera too?! I've never met another like me!" Myko cried happily.

"I can tell that you aren't full Viera. The eyes are different, and the feet. I have my father's hair colour. And I'm smaller than a full grown Viera. I've helped a number of half-Vieras in my time. They can get really messed up. Viera society rejects them, and Hume society tries to destroy them."

"Leave my Sylva alone!" Jote yelled as she rejoined the group.

"Sylva? Is that the baby? I was just trying to quiet her down. I'm looking for a Viera by the name of Mjrn. Her sister on the outside told me to find her here."

"Mjrn is my sister. You spoke to Fran? My sisters are both problems, and if you touch Sylva again, I'll kill you."

"So you must be Jote. Fran said that Mjrn was just the one to go to so I could work out my pay and everything. You're the one who I need to help. Fran said that you need therapy, and I'm the best."

"I do not need therapy! What and who are you?"

"I'm a Viera of course. My name is Ella."

"She's a half-Viera like me!" Myko chimed in.

"Then go away. Myko is bad enough. We don't need any more half-Viera. I'm not allowing another one to move in."

"Are you trying to intimidate me just because of your size? You are a big, pure white, full Viera. Very impressive, but I know how to deal with you. In essence, you seem to just be a big Viera. But on the inside, you are insecure. Worried that the Viera are going to stop listening to you. You're their leader. The eyes tell all." Ella said. Jote wondered how Ella could read the signs so easily.

"I'll admit that you are good."

"I'm better than good. I'm the master. I will have you breaking down and crying if I keep this up, but I want to be paid. I'm not trying to make you upset. I want to help you."

Vinka went up to Myko and held out her hand.

"I don't have anything for you." Myko said. Vinka began crying again.

"I have more peppermint candy, but I think I'm going to use it to reward her mother. Jote is just a big kitten, after all."

"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!"

"Screaming at me to try and intimidate me isn't working. I'll work on taming you, but the kitten is normal. Don't be spoiling her."

"Don't tell me how to raise my child!"

"Yelling at me is very childish. You don't have to yell. I have long bunny ears. I can hear you perfectly well."

"I hate you."

"I'm asserting myself. To get you to listen, I have to."

"Well, I'm not gonna listen to you, half-breed. I'm a pureblood Viera. I'm worth two of you. I'm worth you and Myko. I am the boss, and you are just the child of a Viera who felt like sleeping with a Hume and got knocked up! Just like Fran!"

"That isn't going to work. I know how your mind works. You want to be dominant, but I'm not allowing that to happen."

"OBEY ME!"

"I've already reduced you yelling out in frustration. You're harmless."

Jote lunged at Ella and tried to kill her. Ella had incredible reflexes. Better than most pure Viera. She nimbly dodged every swipe of the big Viera's claws. The advisors just stared. Ella had gained their respect by standing up to Jote and not getting angry at her attitude.

"I'd rather have Ella as the leader. She's great! She's so patient. I've never met a Viera like her!" Neve exclaimed. Jote sat down and gave up.

"See? Even the alpha wolf can be tamed by someone with enough patience. Here, have a doggy treat." Ella said. She threw Jote a peppermint.

"What makes you think I want this?" Jote snarled.

"Viera like candy. I've never met one who didn't."

Vinka saw that Jote got a peppermint, and immediately ran to her to try and get it. Jote was going to give it to her, but Ella shook her head.

"Better not. That kid of yours is already spoiled. Kids have to learn that they can't get everything they want."

"When Sylva grows up, she will have everything a Viera could want. She'll be the leader someday." Jote said, but she didn't give the girl the candy. Ella seemed to get through to her a little.

"You don't have everything you want, but you might learn what you really have when I'm through with you. Myko, hold Vinka for me. I'm going to teach you all something. Something no Viera who lives in the Wood knows."

**How about that? Even Jote is bested by half-Viera Ella. Next up, Myko gets one of her deepest wishes granted. And I know it is one of the wishes of my readers. Please keep reviewing! And if you like this, check out my other works. I'm working on several projects at once. "Hunters of the Stars" is worth reading if you're into humourous stories with very little point. Wight Mamba (my brother, who wrote most of said story) and I would love to see some reviews for that. And The Eternal Question, my first fic, is all about how Myko came to be. If somebody didn't read that first, this story can get confusing.**


	4. Chapter 4

Viera Actress

Chapter 4

**I realized a mistake I made last chapter. I have Ella's last name, Lyre, used early on instead of her first name. As a half-Hume, Ella has a last name. Ella Lyre is her full name. I also wrote that she was raised by Viera in the Wood. I decided to change that but forgot to edit that part out. I hope that didn't confuse anyone. I didn't realize it until I sent the chapter. In this chapter, Myko will meet her parents. And the Viera will try and help her get her play finished. Ella continues in Jote's therapy and actually makes a lot of progress, and the Viera and Jote remember a horrible secret about Jote's past that her mother tried to make them forget. Also, Rael confesses her love to Rush, and demands that Rush see his daughter with Mjrn (even though Rael hates Slya almost as much as she hates Myko). Myko's middle name is the French word for rabbit, in case you were wondering why I used Lapin as her middle name. I am fairly decent with wordplay sometimes, as you'll see in the Jote therapy session in this chapter.**

"I don't need therapy! If any of us does, it's Rael! She's INSANE!" Jote complained.

"Just chill, okay? I'm not going to hurt you, just get to the root of your anger. I've never met a Viera so angry, and I specialize in Viera! And why do you need to train that Myko kid so hard?" Ella was saying.

"It's school. Go help someone who really needs it."

"I was told to help you, and I am going to do it."

Mjrn had returned home and had made her arrangements with Ella, as promised. She then took Myko and began teaching her how to write a little. Myko could read a little, because, as Jote suspected, Mjrn had taught her using Moogle Mail from Fran. Alja had decided to join them. She, unlike her sister Rael, liked Myko-chan.

"So, is Rush really as wonderful as my sister says?" Alja asked. Mjrn grinned.

"I only knew him briefly, but it was pleasant." Mjrn replied happily. Myko showed her a drawing of a grey coeurl. She had labeled it "Wiskrs."

"Look Aunt Mjrn! It's Whiskers!" Myko exclaimed. Mjrn picked Myko up.

"I wish Dana would let me do that." Alja said jealously.

"Dana isn't as little as Myko. Maybe Rae will have another child someday. Or you could have your own. You are old enough. Lord Janzyn will… you know… with any girl who wants it, as long as she isn't either related or a village leader." Mjrn stated. Alja looked shocked.

"You want me with your boyfriend?"

"Janzyn has many girlfriends. I'm the only one he considers his real girlfriend, but he has women over all of the time, and I know they aren't there for Lena. Lena would like it if they were, but nearly every female Viera that visits Jan has a kitten a year and a half later. If you want to be with Jan, I won't stop you. Heck, I'm encouraging it."

"Janzyn keeps trying convince my other sister Kira to sleep with him."

"Watch your mouth with Myko around."

"I know."

"I want to know where little Viera come from, but Miss Rael says that I don't get to know that until I'm old enough to have them." Myko added.

"I already told you before that little Viera are blessings from the Wood." Mjrn told her niece.

"Why don't you tell her the rest? My mother told me the full truth when I asked her, and I wasn't much older than Myko-chan here. I mean, it is true that they are blessings from the Wood, but there's more to it. Why not just tell Myko and get it over with?" Alja wondered.

"Myko isn't ready to know. She'll be harassing the other Viera about it. Asking more questions that a child her age doesn't need to be asking. And I will never hear the end of it from Jote!"

"And my sister will think it's hysterical. She hates Myko, but she will think that is funny. Rael is so terrible. I think she liked Kira more than me. When Kira left, she was Rae's only sister at that point. Mom hadn't had me yet. Rae is the foremost wood-warder, and the village respects that, but ever since Myko was born, she has become the biggest terror in town. Can I hold Myko?"

"I don't know. How about it Myko? You know Alja. You know she won't hurt you. Her only niece doesn't want her around, and she wants to hold a little Viera."

"Rehearsal for holding a baby Viera of her own? Okay." Myko said. She climbed up on Alja's lap.

"Do you have to talk like that?" Alja asked.

"Yep!"

"Here's an idea that Rae and Jote both won't like. How about I take you with me next time I go to pick up my kids? You can keep Janzyn company, if you want. I'm not saying you have to. If you don't want to, it's fine. It's just a suggestion. Jote and Rael won't be happy with either of us, but you need some love too." Mjrn suggested.

"I don't know. I'll have to think about that. It's a really tempting thought though." Alja responded.

"Janzyn would absolutely love you. I have fun with him. And as a salve-maker, you can keep yourself safe if you want. I mean, if you want to have a baby, Janzyn would be happy to help. If you don't, that's okay for him too. I didn't have kids with him the first time we were together."

"Maybe I will. I'll let you know what I decide. It's not an easy decision, you know."

"I know, Ali. I had to make the decision myself once. And I've never regretted my choice. Jan and I… we have something special. We have a child together, and that is a connection nobody can break. Jan loves pretty Viera ladies like us. It's a big decision, I understand. Do what you think is right. Don't listen to anybody else. Only you know what is right for you."

"You are correct, Mjrn. I am seriously considering going to see this Janzyn guy, but it is a big decision."

"Okay Jote, now this is a simple test of word association. This often helps give me topics of conversation from the answers." Ella said. Jote rolled her eyes.

"This is not going to work." Jote insisted.

"Let's just see. Wood."

"Mother."

"Coeurl."

"Wolf"

"Outside."

"Rabbitpox."

"See? I already figured something out. You are thinking about your mother, aren't you? What happened to her?"

"She… she got rabbitpox. She and Mjrn both did. Mjrn was only a few weeks old. Mom had already lost two daughters in a row, one of them from the same illness. Mom was devastated. Mjrn almost died, but Mom did die. One of the Viera told me that she heard Mom crying out to the Wood only days before, begging her to spare Mjrn, even if she had to die for her child to live."

"That's so sad. My father died, but he got old. Viera live so much longer than Humes. Mama wants me to give her grandchildren, but I don't even have a boyfriend."

"I'm happy that Mjrn lived."

"Jote, is your mother's death what is making you so depressed?"

"No. I came to terms with that years ago. There is something else that is bothering me. Something I can't even remember, but I _feel _deep inside of me that it is my biggest issue."

"Would you like to undergo hypnosis? It might help you remember the reason you're so bitter. I've done it before. I could easily put you under hypnosis."

Jote nodded. "I don't like the idea of hypnosis, but if it will help me figure out my problem, let's try it."

"We'll need a few of your friends here. If they remember something while you're hypnotized, it will help us both."

"Rael should be somewhere out in the Wood. Hala is around, probably making a potion of some sort. My older friends will be better. Alja has only been an advisor for three years now. She and Rael are sisters, though. I wish Kira was around, their other sister, she'd remember something, but she was born blind and ran off into the Wood ages ago. Rena might be useful, although she isn't as close to me as the other advisors. She doesn't even know that Myko is part Hume, like most of the others. She's only a lesser advisor."

"I can help." Said a voice Jote never thought (or hoped) she'd hear again. What was going on?

"Okay, if I look over there and I'm not hearing things, Fran, I'm going to be angry." Jote said. She looked, and sure enough, there was her sister.

"What is this I hear about hypnosis?" Fran asked.

"Where is your Hume friend?"

"He's looking for Myko. We have wanted to see her. We haven't seen her since you called for us when you were about to have Vinka. I still don't know why you called for us if you want me to stay away. I would like to see Vinka and the rest of the kids again. How are Janson and Slya? And why are you getting hypnosis?"

"Fran, I have a whole two years cut from my memory. You were young, that's all I can remember of the time. Delf had just been born. And then… it's just blank." Jote stated.

"I… this certainly is strange. I cannot remember either. I bet I know what happened! Something catastrophic happened, and Mom didn't want us to remember it, so she had our minds erased with some salve. I have heard that there is a salve we can make that can erase small parts of one's memory. The use of it is forbidden, but Sylva wanted to spare us the memory badly enough."

"Mom wouldn't have done that!"

"Why not? If it was as Wood-shattering as I imagine, she wouldn't want us to have to suffer the memory of it. I do not remember, but I do feel that something heartbreaking and excruciatingly painful happened."

"The last thing I remember that hurt that much was when I had little Sylva and nearly died."

Myko was still with Alja and Mjrn when Balthier walked in. Mjrn smiled. Myko went berserk with her happiness. She went and began hugging her father.

"Daddy! I've been wanting to see you and Mommy for a long time! I've missed you! Where's Mommy? I want Mommy!" Myko cried.

"Hello Balthier. It has been a while. And I'm sure Jote doesn't like you and Fran being here." Mjrn said.

"It was Fran's idea. She went to talk to Jote. She knows that we aren't supposed to be here, and Jote is tired of her coming back." Balthier explained. Myko was still hugging him.

"Daddy! You and Mommy have to see my play! It's going to be 'The Viera who cried Coeurl!' It's got a real coeurl and everything! Mr. Janzyn's sister has a pet miniature coeurl named Whiskers, and he's going to play the coeurl! We're getting the play ready for next week! I'm the star!"

"Like father, like daughter. My little girl is the leading lady now."

"I sure am! And I can't wait to show you my play!"

"Wow. She's really excited." Alja said.

"Well hello Alja. How are things?"

"I'm going to go and have a child with Lord Janzyn ASAP."

"You already decided?!" Mjrn yelped.

"Nah. I'm just yanking your chain Mjrn. Relax. I'm thinking about it though. Seriously. And it doesn't sound like such a bad idea. It actually sounds like an interesting experience. I think it would be nice to have a little mini Alja running around. I just don't know if I'm ready to have a baby Viera yet or not."

"Don't do that anymore, Ali! You freaked me out!"

"I'm sorry Mjrn. It just seemed amusing to tease you about it. I probably will do it, though. I know it was mere days ago I told Jote that little Viera wouldn't be good for me right now, but the more I think about it, the more I think I do want to have a kitten soon."

"Fran had a difficult pregnancy, Alja. And she is older and stronger than you and was carrying a smaller-than-the-average-Viera child. I don't know if you can stand that." Balthier told the young Viera.

"Fran has problems in her family. My family is stronger. Rae has to watch when she's with Rush all of the time or she'll have another child. You know she has one child. You've met Dana, my niece. I'll be fine. If I want a baby, I'll have one, thanks for your concern Mr. Bunansa."

"My Daddy knows what he's talking about, Miss Alja! Listen to Daddy!" Myko yelled.

"C'mon Myko. Let's go find your mother." Balthier said. He picked up his daughter and left.

"I really don't know what to do. Mjrn, what do you think I should do?"

"Alja, it's your choice. You can do whatever you want to do with your life. Nobody else can tell you what to do. I chose Janzyn, and I never regretted it. I can go to him whenever I need help, even though the man is pretty self-serving and only does stuff to get more attractive female Viera into bed with him. The night I conceived Janson and Slya, he had three women earlier taking turns making it with him. That's probably the reason he didn't father Slya. He had trouble that night. I could barely get even one good round with him. The male can't get enough Viera women. He's an expert at screwing. You'll be incredibly pleased if you choose to go with him. He knows just how to please Viera women. It might not be what you want, but it might be. And Jan will do whatever you want. I had him do some pretty interesting things that first time."

"I don't know. I have to decide. This is a major decision. I'm still a virgin, you know."

"Rael can give you advice. She's still your big sister. And she wouldn't want you to ruin your life. Jote and Fran told me to stay away from men for what they believed was my own good."

"I'll find her, and I'll ask her for advice. I know this is my choice and mine alone though."

"I know you'll make the right choice."

"I'll tell you when I have decided."

Rael and Rush were in the middle of one of their special moments. Rush had found his friend sulking, like she often was when they'd run into each other. Slya looked a little like her father. She had his eyes, and his pure white ears. Viera without black fur where considered a blessing. Jote and Myko also were pure white. Rael couldn't remember who had gotten her pregnant with Dana. It wasn't Rush, for sure. She was a pretty pathetic Viera if she couldn't remember who had knocked her up. All she knew was that she had been with tons of males during that time. The Wood had told her once who had fathered Dana, but she had long forgotten.

When a new Viera is born, the Wood tells her mother what to call her. If she doesn't, the mother has to find a name. That is what happened in the case of Nokvarle and her half-sister Tymzjna, and it was seen as a blessing. A mother Viera would always want to give her child a name, but the Wood would almost always give the name. Jote, Fran, Delf, and Mjrn were all named by the Wood. So were their sisters who died, Keno and Hane. Sylva was one of those blessed to have her name chosen by her mother. It was a rare occurrence. Rarer even than the birth of a male Viera.

Rush would spend time with Rael all the time. He wanted to screw Mjrn again, but that wasn't likely to happen. He didn't even know that Mjrn had borne his child, which was why he didn't ever see Slya. He knew that she had children, but he thought they were both Janzyn's. Rush would be with Rael every chance he got. He'd pleasure her immensely, but he had never gotten her pregnant. He wanted to.

"Rush, that HURTS! Stop it!" Rael yelled. Rush pulled away from her.

"I'm sorry Rael. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Just don't do it so hard. I don't like when it hurts. I'm not Jote."

"Or Mjrn."

"Rush, what's wrong with you today?"

"I'm never going to be a father, am I?"

"Rush, you are a father."

"Rael, are you pregnant?!"

"No. Mjrn… she had your daughter. Lovely girl. Her name is Slya, but since you don't know about her, Janzyn has to raise her with her twin brother."

"I've got a son too?"

"No. This is the extremely rare case of twins with two different fathers. Janson is Janzyn's, but Slya is yours."

"Mjrn is so clever! She couldn't get enough from Janzyn, so she found me! Impressive. Clever, clever girl. I love her even more now."

"Rush, what is your problem? Any other Viera would've yelled at Mjrn for cheating. You can't stop saying how clever she is."

"I'm attracted to clever Viera. She knew that she was supposed to have twins, but Janzyn had only managed to father one of her children. She instinctively knew she had another so she had to find another male. Mjrn is brilliant."

"There is a brilliant Viera who came into our village. Ella Lyre. She's incredible. She's a half-Viera, half-Hume hybrid, but she can even make Jote listen to her. She's giving Jote therapy. Jote tried to kill her at first, but then she earned even her respect."

"I want to know my daughter."

"Then come to Eruyt Village, and see her once in a while. I'd like that too."

"Why? You don't like me. You use me."

"No Rush. I don't like you. I love you."

Rush looked pleased. He was a hard Viera to read, but he also must've been surprised. "Really?"

"With all my heart."

Jote was going to get the hypnosis soon. A few of the advisors were standing near her, and were to tell Ella if anything sparked a memory. Fran was holding Myko, who was still delighted to have her parents around. Ella was going to put Fran under hypnosis too. Balthier was talking with Marl and trying to play with Vinka, who was hiding behind her father's legs so the scary Hume wouldn't see her.

"Jote was going to start teaching Myko stuff, like how she shouldn't trust Humes because they'd be mean to her or something. I think she was going overboard. Thank the Wood that Myko wasn't receptive to that or she wouldn't recognize herself as Myko Lapin Bunansa, she'd see herself as a full Viera." Marl told Balthier.

"And what do you think about Humes?"

"They're just like Viera with short ears."

"Look! Ella is going to do Fran first!"

"Put Myko down, dear. Now, Fran. You are going to go deep into your past. Your half-brother Delf was born two weeks ago at this point, and you are a child, watching your sister…

Fran saw it all. And it wasn't horrible. It was a happy memory? How could that be? It was a memory of Sylva, and of Gura.

"Gura! Hello!" Sylva called out. Her newborn son Delf was in her arms, Fran was peeking out from behind her legs. Gura had come to see Jote. He adored her. He wanted to marry her, and be the father of her children.

"Where is Jote?" Gura asked. Fran could remember his voice even when she wasn't under hypnosis. Jote always had him around until he got killed, and Fran knew him well too.

"She's off with her friends. Fran, why don't you have any friends? Meja has a daughter about your age."

Jote came running up. "Gura! Why didn't you tell me you were coming! I have something incredible to tell you! Something that is going to change our lives forever!"

Sylva smiled. "My little girl is growing up."

Fran looked worried. "I thought I was your little girl, Mommy." She said. Fran had always adored her mother. Sylva was a caring, loving mother and a wise leader. She cared so much for all of her children. She'd do anything for them.

"You're my baby girl. Jote is my little girl."

"Jote, you know I love you so much." Gura gushed. He had always been the lovey-dovey type. Fran had no clue what attracted her sister to him in the first place.

"This family is going to have another Viera to love soon. In about a year and a half, to be exact." Jote said happily. She had been so happy back then. Fran barely recognized her sister now.

"What?" Gura asked. Jote smiled.

"Gura, we're going to finally be parents. I'm pregnant!" Jote cried out. She looked radiant. Fran just about snapped out of her hypnosis. Jote had a child?! Why would anybody want her to forget that?

"Hear that Franny? You're going to be an aunt!" Sylva exclaimed happily.

"Jote is going to be a mom?" Fran asked.

"Jote is going to be a mom?"

Jote shook her head. "I'm not pregnant, sis. At least not right now." She stated, looking over at Marl, who winked at her.

"Jote, Fran is still under hypnosis." Ella told her.

"Then she's seeing something wrong. I was never pregnant to Gura. We tried so many times to have a child, but I never did. FRAN! YOU'RE HAVING A FANTASY!!"

"Jote, you mustn't break her trance. I think we're on the edge of a breakthrough here."

Fran saw what happened about a year later. Sylva was proud, and Jote clearly was going to be a mother. Sylva was awaiting the birth of her first grandchild anxiously.

"C'mere Fran. Want to feel your niece kicking?" Sylva asked. Jote laughed. She was so happy. What happened to her? Something terrible must've happened to the baby. That must've been why Sylva had made Fran and Jote forget what had happened. Fran didn't remember any of this.

"I can't believe this is finally happening. I was beginning to think that Gura was sterile, but he's not, and we're going to have a baby."

The next thing Fran knew, it was six months later. She and Delf had been put in the care of one of Sylva's advisors; Rael, Kira, and Alja's mother Kjmi. Sylva had gone out in the Wood to help Jote. Gura was staying with Kjmi too, as a male Viera could not be present during a birth, according to custom. And he knew that Jote would bring their child straight to Kjmi's to show Fran and Delf their niece. Sylva had been told by the Wood that the baby was a girl.

But when Jote and Sylva came back, Fran saw the problem. Jote was holding a dead Viera baby. The child had been stillborn and Jote wanted to show Gura his daughter before they buried her. The woman was a wreck over her child's death, and Sylva could not bear to see her daughter suffering like that. Jote still didn't seem to get over it months afterward. And Fran could remember it and remind Jote too. Delf, luckily, was only a year and a half old and wouldn't remember what had happened. But Fran and Jote had to forget, even if Sylva had to have the salve-makers concoct a forbidden potion. Jote still was never the same. She didn't remember her loss, but she knew in her heart that she had lost something precious and irreplaceable. That was when she stopped being so happy. Fran was lucky. She forgot everything and continued to be a happy little Viera up until Sylva's death.

Ella brought Fran out of trance. Jote was crying hysterically, Marl trying in vain to comfort her. Vinka looked upset that her mother was crying, so she started crying too.

"I'm glad Mom made me forget that! Fran, please tell me you were dreaming! Please!" Jote begged in between sobs.

"That's horrible." Ella said, pale in the face.

"I couldn't have lost my baby! I couldn't have! Sylva is the only baby I've ever had, and she's very much ALIVE!!"

"Jote, please. I'm so sorry about your daughter with Mr. Gura, but I can't breathe! You're choking me! Too much hugging!!" Marl choked out. How was Jote going to be consoled now that she remembered what she couldn't get over before? Jote was on her knees after letting go of Marl. Fran had only seen a Viera act like that once before; Sylva had lost two daughters in early infancy and had been a wreck too. She only got over it when she gave birth to Mjrn. And went hysterical again when Mjrn got rabbitpox, thinking that her daughter was gonna die.

"Jote, I'm so sorry. Poor little Viera." Mjrn said, stroking her sister's hair. Marl tried to get Jote on her feet, but she swatted at him with her claws.

"Mjrn, try to calm Vinka down. She doesn't understand what is going on. She's just upset that her mother is upset. Jote, please stop crying. It was a long time ago." Fran attempted to calm Jote down. Jote looked her straight in the eyes.

"My first daughter died being born. Your child didn't deserve to live, and she's still here." Jote snarled. Balthier heard that, and two Viera had to hold him still. He wanted to punch Jote. Fran backed off. She had to restrain herself before she tore Jote a new one. It was the knowledge of the tragedy she had faced that had made her say that. She didn't mean it.

"Jote, you still have Vinka. She's healthy and everything. And if she gets rabbitpox now, it wouldn't kill her! In two years, we're gonna infect her deliberately!" Marl comforted.

"Leave me alone." Jote sobbed. She tried to walk off. Ella stopped her.

"Honey, I'm sorry. We have to see if we can get any more information." Ella said.

"Haven't you tortured me enough with FRAN'S memory?! Why do you have to make me relive the actual pain myself? WHY?!"

"Jote, you won't believe how sorry I am that I have to do this to you. I never imagined that your past was so terrible. I'm just doing my job."

"I just hate tragedies." Myko said, with tears in her blue eyes.

**And there's another chapter done. I know it's a heartbreaking chapter, but I promise the next chapter won't be as depressing. I would love more reviews. I hope everybody liked Myko being reunited with her parents. I try my best for Myko to be more cute and funny than anything, but I don't know if I'm doing that well enough. In the next chapter, we get more of Jote's horrible past, only from her point of view, and she runs off into the Wood to have time to herself, but Myko follows her and something amazing happens. And then Rush meets his daughter Slya.**


	5. Chapter 5

Viera Actress

Chapter Five

**This chapter continues the hypnosis session, but through Jote's point of view, with all the pain and anguish attached. And later you see her true feelings for Myko, and it isn't what everyone thinks (apparently, Myko is more than just Jote's ticket to little Viera). I know this story kind of sounds like something out of a soap opera, but I watch lots of daytime television so that's probably why. I had trouble keeping from crying while writing the last chapter. I don't usually write things so heartbreaking. It has a happy ending though. And Slya gets to meet her daddy. Please send more reviews, as long as they aren't flames.**

"I'm sorry. I have to get more information. So sorry. I hope you can forgive me. I don't want to have to hear it again either. I know that it will be even harder for you. Too bad we didn't do you first, so I wouldn't have had to hypnotize Fran and we could've been done with this." Ella said. Jote was still in hysterics. How was she ever going to let this go?

"Jote. You have to think about your other daughter. Vinka sees you crying and she's upset. You have to stop crying." Mjrn said. Jote hit her.

"I'd just stop talking to her. She's going to have to relive the worst moment of her life, the reason she's so miserable. Just leave her alone."

"YOU CANNOT TORTURE ME LIKE THAT! I WOULD'VE NEVER AGREED TO THE HYPNOSIS IF I KNEW IT WAS THIS DEVESTATING!!" Jote roared.

"Jote, please just calm down. We need our leader." Hala said. Jote looked at her.

"You be the leader then! Better yet, let MJRN be the leader! She's my sister, after all! Our mother was the leader, and Fran is unsuitable! Go ahead Mjrn!"

"No! I am not the leader, Jote! You are! You can't just leave us! Listen to me, our mother lost two daughters, but she still went on with her life and led the village!" Mjrn yelled.

"Mjrn, shut up. You can be the leader."

"Fran, talk some sense into her!"

"Mjrn…" Fran began.

"Accept your destiny, little sister! You're the only one with the right blood who is old enough to lead!" Jote screamed. She tried to run, but three Viera grabbed her and restrained her. "Ella, if you make me do this, I will die."

"I'm sorry. I have to do my job. I doubt you will die, but this will hurt in ways I cannot comprehend." Ella said.

"I won't resist, but I hope you're happy. You're going to kill me. Mjrn, you will be the leader until Sylva is old enough to take over. And Marl? I love you with every fiber of my being."

"Now, keep her still. I'm going to put her under trance the same way I did for Fran. Watch the hypno-leaf. When it swings six more times, you'll go into a deep sleep. And you'll remember the same time I told Fran to remember."

Fran backed off and stood with Balthier. Marl looked worried about his mate. Myko wanted her mother to pick her up, but Fran was not in the right mind to do anything like that.

"Let's go take Myko and go out in the Wood and catch up on the goings-on with her, Fran. You don't want to see this, I know." Balthier suggested. Fran shook her head.

"I can't abandon Jote right now. I never imagined our memory was this horrible." Fran said in almost a whisper. She still couldn't believe what had happened.

"We're here to see our daughter."

"Jote is still my sister."

"By blood alone. She doesn't see you as her sister anymore. She couldn't care less what happens to you."

"Right. By BLOOD. And blood is thicker than water."

"That has kind of become your motto, hasn't it?"

"It is true. Literally and metaphorically. And what happened to Jote… nobody deserves that."

"Fran, when this is over, let's leave Myko with Mjrn and go out, find a nice secluded spot in the Wood, and then we can…" Balthier began. Fran gave him a Look that stopped him mid-sentence.

"How can you think about doing that when my sister is here, about to relive the worst moment of her entire life? I need to be here, with her, not out in the Wood doing something the Viera see as a most heinous crime. When Jote is over this, we have all the time in the world to play." Fran whispered. She knew that Myko was right next to her, and that was why she spoke so quietly.

"I want you now."

"Balthier, just wait. It won't be any fun if I'm in a foul mood. You know that."

"I will wait as long as I can, my love."

Ella had put Jote in trance. The other Viera gazed at her. They wouldn't let her hurt herself while in trance. Marl sat next to where she was laying, stroking her ears.

Jote was excited. She could not wait to tell her beloved Gura the news. She had just found out that they were going to be parents. Jote and Gura had been trying for a long time to have a child. She had just told her closest friends, and they were so excited. She had not yet told her mother and little sister Fran. Jote had always wanted to be a mommy, and now that she was pregnant, her wish was going to come true. The Wood had just told her. The Wood knew the moment it happened, and would tell the Viera as soon as said Viera spoke to the Wood again.

Jote found Gura talking to her mother, Sylva. Sylva had her two-week old son Delf in her arms. Fran was peeking out from behind Sylva's legs. Sylva loved all her children, and kept telling Jote that she wanted lots of children, and lots of grandchildren. Jote took that last part to heart, and even though she was young, wanted to grant at least one of her mother's wishes.

"Gura! Why didn't you tell me you were coming? I have something incredible to tell you! Something that will change our lives forever!" Jote cried. She was so excited. She couldn't wait to see how happy Gura would be when he found out that he was going to be a daddy.

Sylva looked very happy. "My little girl is growing up."

"I thought I was your little girl, Mommy." Fran said.

"You are my baby girl. Jote is my little girl."

"Jote, you know I love you so much." Gura said. Jote had always liked how sweet Gura was. He was always so gentle when they made love. And he adored her.

Jote knew it was time to tell Gura the big news. "This family is going to have another Viera to love soon. In about a year and a half, to be exact."

Gura looked shocked. "What?" He asked.

Jote felt pure happiness flowing from her "Gura, we're finally going to be parents. I'm pregnant!" She cried out. Gura embraced her.

"Hear that Franny? You're gonna be an aunt!" Sylva told her little daughter.

"Jote is going to be a mom?" Fran asked.

"That's right sis. I'm going to be a good mother. Just like our mother."

"I'm sure you will be. I did teach you everything I know. Wow. My first grandchild. I'm so proud." Sylva said happily.

Nine months later, Jote was starting to show. A Hume could have a child in this amount of time, but a Viera usually carried her child for a year and a half. Jote was halfway through her pregnancy, and Gura was always with her. He would go overboard to make sure Jote was happy and comfortable.

"Gura?" Jote asked. She knew what she was feeling.

"Love?" Gura responded. He often referred to Jote as Love.

"She's moving! Want to feel her? It is just the _weirdest_ feeling!"

Gura placed his hand on Jote's middle. Jote's child kicked. "That's amazing! Love, I'm so happy."

"Me too. And the Wood told me that it's a girl."

"Does it hurt?"

Jote shook her head. Gura smiled.

"That's a relief. I don't know how I'd feel if having this kid hurt you that much."

"Mom says that the part that hurts is the actual birth. I have to go find her. She wanted me to show Fran the first time I felt any movement."

Jote went home and found Fran talking to Sylva. Jote loved her mother, but Fran always seemed to be closer. Jote never remembered ever being that close. Of course, she had friends and Fran didn't. The other Viera her age thought she was a freak because she'd always ask them what they thought the outside world was like.

"Mom? She's moving." Jote said.

"That's wonderful."

"It's just the strangest feeling. Now I know why you love having kids so much."

Sylva grinned. "That is one of the minor reasons, my daughter. One of the very minor reasons. It _is_ an amazing feeling, to feel a little Viera move inside of you, but there is so much more. I adore my children. You know I would do anything for one of my babies. My daughter, no matter what happens, there is a little bit of Sylva in you. There is some of me in all of my children. You are strong, as I am strong."

Fran looked upset. Jote felt sorry for her. She had nobody else. If anything happened to Sylva, Fran would be alone. Well, not alone. Jote knew that she and Delf would be there for Fran no matter what. And Gura too. He saw Fran as his little sister.

Three months later, Sylva and Jote were just relaxing when Fran came in, all upset. The little Viera was crying, and Sylva was instantly at her side, trying to figure out what was wrong. Fran said that the other little Viera were harassing her. Jote's child chose that moment to start kicking her like crazy.

"Mom? Quickly! Get Fran to feel this!" Jote exclaimed.

"C'mere Fran. Want to feel your niece kicking?" Sylva asked. Fran nodded excitedly and put her hand on her sister's middle. Jote laughed.

"I can't believe this is finally happening. I was beginning to think that Gura was sterile, but he's not, and we're going to have a baby." Jote said happily.

"Mom, can I have a baby someday?" Fran asked.

"Sure Fran. I'd love you to have lots of kids. I've always wanted lots of grandchildren. I want to give you a little sister too. Do you want a little sister, Franny?"

"Yes. And she'll be a happy Viera, because I'm a good big sister."

"You sure are. Delfie is crazy about you."

"Hey Fran? Am I a good big sister?" Jote asked.

"You are the best big sister in the Wood. A little Viera couldn't ask for a better big sister. And when our little sister is born, she's going to love you too."

One night, six months later, Jote lay awake. She began to have contractions after a while. She knew what was going on and woke up Sylva, who took Fran and Delf and left them with her advisor Kjmi. Kjmi had two young daughters, Rael and Kira. Kira was blind, but she didn't seem to hate Fran as much as most of the other little Viera did.

Jote and Sylva went out into the Wood. Sylva called upon the Wood to protect them from predators. Viera could do this, and often would when they were about to give birth. Even under hypnosis, Jote couldn't remember much of the actual birth. Sylva helped her through it, but it was incredibly hard.

"I know it hurts, but you have to push!" Sylva was yelling.

"I don't know if I can!" Jote screamed.

"You're doing fine! This is only your first time! When you have another, it will be easier. You'll have experience. C'mon, push."

Jote knew that she _felt_ the little Viera slide out of her, but when there was no crying from her child, she was concerned. Was it really out? She was about to ask, but then she saw her mother's expression. The look of pure horror on Sylva's face made Jote sure something bad had happened. Sylva picked up the limp body of her granddaughter and tried to make her breathe. She tried so hard to resuscitate the baby, but nothing worked. Jote looked to her mother for answers.

"I'm sorry. She's gone. Sometimes little Viera don't make it, honey." Sylva said.

"She was never here! How could she be gone? How did this happen? She was alive inside of me! I felt her moving hours before I began having contractions!" Jote cried.

"Sometimes they die being born. My cousin lost one like that once. Poor little thing."

"It isn't fair! I wait so long to have a baby, and then I take such good care of myself and everything for a year and a half, and then my little Viera dies!"

"I'm sorry Jote. So very sorry."

"It isn't your fault, Mom. What did I do wrong to make the Wood so angry?!"

"Jote, don't do this. The Wood is not angry at you. That's just the Wood's way of telling you there was something wrong with your child."

"Leaf." Jote whispered.

"Leaf?"

"The Wood told me days ago, that was what I was supposed to call her."

"Can you get up?"

"I think so. I'm going to have to show Gura first. You know, before we bury her. I still can't believe it. This is so unfair. You told me that when you look into the eyes of a newborn Viera, it is the greatest thing in the world."

"You're strong. C'mere. Lean on me. I'll help you get home. She's so beautiful. I wish it didn't take something like this to happen for me to remember how fragile and precious life is. Don't you ever forget that, Jote. Don't give up. You can have another. I know it won't replace your Leaf, but it will make you feel better."

"I don't know if I can risk this happening again." Jote said.

The two returned to Eruyt Village and went to Kjmi's place. Fran rushed over excitedly to see her new little niece, but upon finding out that Jote was holding a dead Viera child, ran and burst into tears. Gura went hysterical when he found out that Jote had lost his daughter. There didn't seem to be any consolation for the two lovers. They buried Leaf quietly in the morning.

Sylva knew she had to do something for her daughter. She knew the Salve of Forgetting was forbidden, but she still had her salve-makers make it. She gave it to Fran and Jote secretly, and never spoke of what had happened again.

Jote came out of trance on her own, and started right up where she had left off. This time, she succeeded in running from the village. Ella was teary herself.

"Should I go after her?" Mjrn asked.

"Absolutely not! Let her figure this out on her own." Ella replied.

"This certainly explains a lot, does it not?" Fran asked Balthier.

"Yeah. Poor Jote. Can we do something else? I have a few ideas on what we can do." Balthier said.

"WHAT IN IVALICE ARE YOU SAYING, YOU INCONSIDERATE HUME?! MY SISTER JUST FOUND OUT SHE LOST HER FIRST CHILD, AND ALL YOU CAN THINK ABOUT IS HAVING FUN?!"

"Mommy, why are you yelling at Daddy?" Myko wondered.

"I'm sorry. We're all really worked up. I didn't mean to yell. Balthier, this is so horrible. I cannot imagine what Jote is feeling. What is going to happen to Vinka?"

"Mommy, where do baby Viera come from?" Myko asked.

"Not again! She's been asking this repeatedly. MYKO! LISTEN TO AUNT MJRN! GET THIS THROUGH YOUR HEAD! Baby Viera are gifts from the Wood!" Mjrn snapped.

"That is true, Myko. I'll tell you the rest some other time." Fran added.

"Hey Fran? I forgot how it happens. Remind me how it went again." Balthier said. Myko wandered off unnoticed.

"Not now. Is lovemaking the only thing you can think of right now?"

"Mmm. Now I'm interested. You know, I'm up for some lovin', if Fran isn't. Take me." Mjrn said. Fran knew her sister wasn't serious. She enjoyed teasing Balthier. She'd do it every time she saw Balthier.

"Mjrn, you don't want to sleep with him. I've heard that Janzyn and you do so well together. If you find out that Balthier is better, and didn't want Janzyn anymore, you'd wreck a perfectly good relationship." Fran responded. Mjrn laughed. She knew that Fran had finally wised up to her joking. The first few times she had done it, Fran had actually believed that Mjrn was seriously hitting on Balthier!

"I'm upset, and I don't even like Jote. Mjrn, you are not helping with the joking today. Fran, you're right. Nobody deserves to have that happen, and then to relive it… I'd be surprised if Jote is still sane."

Marl was still trying to quiet his daughter down. Ella offered her more peppermints, which worked, as usual. The little girl didn't understand why her mother had run off into the forest in tears. Fran was torn. She wanted to see if she could talk to Jote, but Ella said it was useless to try. Jote was the only one who could decide when it was time to move on.

Myko found Jote at her family's Life Tree. The Life Tree got its name from the fact that it was one of the oldest trees in the Wood, and a whole Viera family would tend it. No other Viera family could tend another family's Life Tree. All the trees in Golmore Jungle were descended from the Life Trees. Every Viera family had one to tend. If a Viera family lost their Life Tree, they had to find the oldest tree of the same type. Myko found herself drawn to the Life Tree by the Wood herself. Myko could speak to the Wood, unlike her mother, but rarely did.

"Aunt Jote?" Myko called out. Jote looked at her.

"Not now, Myko. I just want to be alone. I don't know what I'm going to do."

"You need a hug."

"No. I need to be alone. I know you mean well, but please go back to the village. I have the Wood. I do not need anyone else right now."

"I'm not leaving. I'm coming over there. There isn't anything you can do to stop me."

"Very well, but none of your typical idiocy. No actress talk, no nonsense. I'd prefer if you didn't talk at all. I'm talking to the Wood. It's times like this I wish Sylva was still around. She'd know exactly what to say and do. I still cannot believe that she broke the rules and used the forbidden Salve of Forgetting. My mother—your grandmother—always believed in obeying the Green Word to the letter."

Myko came over and snuggled up to Jote. "Mom told me you can take a Viera out of the jungle, but you can't take the jungle out of the Viera. I told her the problem is getting the Viera back in the jungle." The little Viera remarked.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"What does it mean?"

"I personally don't believe that it's true. The saying is that a Viera who leaves the Wood is a Viera no longer. Mom used to tell me that. I believe that. A Viera who leaves will adapt to Hume society, and will become like a Hume. She will lose herself."

"Mom also tells me that it's safer in the Wood. There is a town out there where Humes celebrate 'Viera Stomping Day' where they lasso any Viera they find and stomp 'em to death. Ashe promised that the town is going to be investigated and the horrible act forbidden, but they've killed at least two hundred Viera in that ritual."

"That's what happens when Humes don't understand something. They destroy it. Legend says that a long time ago, Viera lived side-by-side with Humes. And then Humes got jealous of the Viera's powers to communicate with nature and began to kill the Viera. A group of about a hundred Viera left the Salikawood in a desperate bid to survive. They brought along seeds from the trees and planted the great Life Trees. The leader of these Viera was named Myko. Your mother named you after her. She planted this Life Tree herself. We descend from her. She only ever had one child, but that daughter had many children. All of the Viera in Eruyt Village can trace their bloodline back to that Viera. Every Viera in the Wood can trace their ancestry back to one of those hundred Viera refugees."

"I'm sorry that you lost a little Viera. Why did you yell at Mommy? It wasn't her fault, was it?"

"Myko-chan, she had nothing to do with it. She was only about the same age as Rael's Dana when I lost Leaf. I would've yelled at anyone who spoke to me at that moment. I didn't mean to say that you didn't deserve to be alive. That was wrong. About my daughter… these things happen sometimes. I don't know why, but they do. Nobody really understands it. It was the Will of the Wood that I lost Leaf."

"You have Vinka now. She's depending on her Mommy."

"I will go back to her when I feel better. I know she wants me, and that she will not understand why I ran off."

"Do you think Leaf would've liked her sister?"

"I don't know. I would like to think that she would love Vinka. I want to have more children, but I don't know what I'd do if I lost another one like that. I know it's a real possibility. It's always a possibility. I don't like to think about it, but I know it can happen again. I love Marl so much, and I don't know if I'd be able to put him through that kind of pain."

"I don't think it has too high a chance of happening."

"And if not that, there's rabbitpox, or the predators, or even if I should die giving birth and there isn't anyone else around. I do want to have more children though, and I won't let the pain of losing Leaf stop me. I'm a stronger Viera than I was back then. Nobody can ever replace Leaf, but I will have other kids."

"Okay, Fran. She couldn't have gotten too far. She's probably still in the village!" Mjrn was yelling, frantically searching for Myko. Fran and Balthier had just noticed that the girl was gone.

"I bet she could be farther than you think. She's a rising star. Rising into the sky like her parents. She may have climbed one of the trees and left." Arla stated. She sometimes spoke a little strangely.

"I doubt she did that. Last time Myko climbed a tree, she fell and got hurt pretty badly. She was in a coma for a week." Rena told her friend.

"And why didn't I hear about this?!" Fran yelped.

"Jote said she didn't want you to worry. Myko was probably going to be fine, she said. If something happened, she'd tell you, but if Myko was fine, you wouldn't have to worry." Rael replied. She wouldn't dare say anything negative about Myko with Fran around.

"Jote seems to be made of ice most of the time, but her heart is still in the right place. And she has a soft spot for small, furry animals. That's why she loves me so much." Marl said. He twitched his nose rabbit-style.

"Where could Myko have gone?" Fran asked.

"I think I might know. She probably went after Jote." Balthier told her.

"Where would Jote be at a time like this?"

"She'd be at the Life Tree. She likes being there. She's always there when she's upset. It uses Mom's voice now, and that is comforting." Mjrn responded.

"Mjrn? Go get Delf. I think we need him now. And don't let him bring Jyna. Jote can't take that right now. She and Jyna have such problems with each other. Jyna still doesn't seem to know that different villages have different rules. I hope Jote isn't being mean to Myko. I'm going after them." Fran ordered.

"Not necessary. The Wood told me to come." Said Delf, standing at the entrance of the village. Mjrn leapt into her brother's arms. She and Delf were close.

"Mjrn? Maybe we could use Janzyn around too." Fran suggested. She was really telling Mjrn to go play. Mjrn understood and nodded excitedly.

"I'm coming with you Fran. The Wood says that Jote needs me at a time like this." Marl said. Fran nodded.

"Myko? Do you see this flower? This is called vinka. It grows in many places. Your grandmother loved it. It was her favourite flower." Jote said, showing Myko a sprig of some kind of plant.

"Is that why you gave your daughter that nickname?" Myko wondered.

"Yes. It is indeed why I gave her that nickname. My mother would've loved it. To have a granddaughter named after her would've made Mom really happy. My little Sylva would've made Mom proud. When Delf and Jyna had their first child, Mom was ecstatic. I wanted so much to have a baby while Mom was still alive. When Gura was killed, I tried to find another soul mate. I would be with males for a while, but it would never last, and nothing would ever come from it."

"Do you love Mr. Marl?"

"With all my heart. He's kind, and understanding. He's so much like Gura. He also knows the pressures of ruling a whole village full of Viera. I never thought I'd meet another male Viera like Gura. The day I met him, I felt almost complete. And little Sylva… she is what keeps me going."

"And who am I? Mjrn says that you see me as nothing more than your ticket to little Viera."

Jote looked ashamed of herself. "That was how it was at first. I apologize," She began. Then she smiled. "I have grown to love you as though you were my own, though. Myko, I'm sorry I've been so hard on you. I just want to teach you how to be a good Viera. I think I will slow down the pace though. If you aren't ready for something, I won't force it on you. Is there anything you'd like to learn?"

"Would you tell me where little Viera come from?"

"If it's alright with your mother, I'll tell you everything. I have to respect her wishes too, and if she doesn't want you to know yet, I will not tell you."

Marl spotted Jote and Myko talking and he motioned for Fran to join him. He didn't want Jote or Myko to notice them yet.

"I've never seen her like this. She's being so nice to Myko. It's like Myko was what she needed right now." Fran whispered.

"The night we made little Sylva, Jote and I made love under that tree for hours." Marl added, pointing at the Life Tree.

"That was really disturbing. Thank you for sharing. Jote told me not to do that under the shade of a Life Tree. Of course, I was with a Hume who was invading the Wood, so she might've just been referring to that fact." Fran hissed. Jote noticed Fran and Marl and called them over.

"Hey. Myko here just saved my life. I think all I needed was a kitten to talk to. I wish there were more like her." Jote said.

"That'll be easy. How 'bout I knock you up again?" Marl purred, his arms snaking around Jote's waist.

Jote turned around and kissed Marl.

"I do so love a happy ending." Myko said.

"It isn't over yet. C'mon Jote. We need to get home. Then you and Marl can do whatever you desire." Fran stated.

"You and Myko go ahead. Marl and I will catch up." Jote said. Marl was already feeling her up, but at least Myko didn't notice! Fran and Myko left.

Jote and Marl spent the night together. Marl had only been hyped up when he asked Jote, but she wanted him. And she always got what she wanted. They had the best sex they had ever had. Under the trees that night, during their intense passion, the one thing that would make Jote feel so much better happened, something wonderful: a new life was created.

While Jote and Marl were off in the Wood, Mjrn went to see Janzyn. Jan had a guest though. Rush was there, visiting Slya. Mjrn was surprised.

"Why are you here?" Mjrn asked.

"Mjrn, when Rael told me that Slya was my daughter, I was shocked. I'm sorry I haven't been there for her." Rush said.

"I'm sorry I never told you."

Slya was delighted to have both her parents in one house, at least for a short time. "Mommy, why don't you do this more often? We can invite Daddy over when we're at home." Slya said happily. Rush picked her up and smiled at Mjrn.

"Want to play with her? We can go out and run through the trees. She deserves both her parents around sometimes, and Slya loves to run." Mjrn asked.

"I would love to." Rush replied.

**And that's Chapter 5. Isn't it just lovely how things turn out all right? Myko's play is next and Myko finally learns what she's wanted to learn from Jote (Even though it doesn't show that, it will happen). I told you something amazing would happen too. I really liked writing the climax. You decide whether it's when Jote and Marl are together or when Jote and Myko are talking. I can't decide. I just know I wrote one.**


	6. Chapter 6

Viera Actress

Chapter 6

**Finally, the last part of this story. It's finally time for Myko's play. Jote has begun to understand Myko, and stopped pushing her so hard, so Myko can put the finishing touches on her play in record time. Not to mention that since that night in the Wood with Marl, Jote had something bigger to think about. About the whole Alja scene, I wrote several ways for that to play out. In one version I had Janzyn and her together, but I decided against it. This story is suggestive enough as is. About Whiskers: He looks more like a FFX coeurl than a FFXII coeurl, so he's at least half attractive to the Viera. Mona wouldn't keep an ugly coeurl as a pet! Send me more reviews! I love reviews! I'll write more stories of my own (I'm trying to dream up one that isn't Viera-centered, but I really like the Viera), but after this I'm going to really start helping my brother with his Hunters of the Stars story (He asks me daily if he's gotten any reviews for that. He really wants to know if anyone is reading it. It is HILARIOUS so far. If you like my work, check it out.) **

Jote was watching Myko put the finishing touches on her play. The Viera Who Cried Coeurl was going to be shown the next day. Meanwhile, Jote had been thinking about what the Wood had just told her. Marl was just kidding about knocking her up. How could he know that they were really going to conceive a child? Jote had returned home and had told Mjrn that she was a good leader, but it wasn't her place. Mjrn had been acting as a temporary leader for the rest of the day, at least until she left to see Janzyn. Jote still hadn't told anyone that she was pregnant again, not even Marl. That could wait until after Myko's play. Ella had left the day before, still disturbed by what she had uncovered.

"Myko? How is the play coming?" Jote asked.

"It will be ready tomorrow." Myko replied happily.

"Well, I checked with Fran about your request. And she says that I can tell you. Come on into my home. I'll tell you about the Facts of Life."

Delf was happily catching up with Fran. He had always gotten along with her best, and he loved Myko. He wanted to see Fran have more children. When he asked her, however, she smiled and told him "Not for a long, long time." Marl walked up to them. He seemed a bit down.

"Hey Marl. Something wrong?" Delf asked. Marl nodded.

"Jote seems off. I think I did something wrong. She hasn't really spoken to me since that magickal night a few days ago. I don't know what I did." Marl said.

"Marl, Jote loves you. Talk to her; see what is wrong with her. I'm sure you have done nothing wrong and she just has a lot on her mind now. Jote is like that. She does not seem angry right now, either. You have done nothing, I am sure." Fran told the male Viera.

"Maybe you're right. But I've never seen Jote so distant."

"She is merely contemplative."

"Yeah. Just give her a chance. Jote wouldn't be angry at you, Marl!" Delf added.

"Fran, you're really smart."

"Thank you."

"Hey! I'm smart too!" Delf complained. "So quick to compliment a lady, but you pay no attention to the Delf-man, who's just trying to help too! I probably know Jote as much as Fran does! She is only my SISTER!"

"Delf, you are a good friend." Marl said.

"Jote has off days too. Everybody does. And she's probably still thinking about that poor little Viera child of her's that died. Jyna lost one of ours once. She didn't feel well for months. I was devastated. It's something that you think about for the rest of your life. I still wonder why the Wood took one from us like that."

"Delf, I never knew…" Fran began.

"We have a lot to think about right now. Tyra died last week. It was quite sudden. So now, we have a new leader. Every Viera I've spoken to is euphoric. I feel bad for poor Tyra. She wasn't liked, and the Viera seemed happy when her health started declining. She had a reputation for being a hateful, nasty old witch, but I know she had her good side too. She wouldn't let the other Viera hurt my Jyna's niece from Janzyn. My oldest daughter was one of her advisors, and even she hated Tyra. I remember that it was Tyra's idea that I marry Jyna. Jote didn't want me to be forced to marry a girl I had a one night stand with. I love Jyna, and it's a joy to be married to her. I never had a problem with our leader."

"Poor Tyra." Marl said. "I'm sure her mate is devastated. I wouldn't know if I'd be able to live without my Jote."

"Tyra didn't have a soul mate. She slept around, and she had twelve children."

"Speaking of which, Marl, are you and Jote planning on having any more kids soon? It might be just what she needs to put her back in high spirits." Fran, of course, said that.

"I want her to have more kids. I don't know if we will anytime soon, though. I hope so. Maybe I'll finally have a son. Jote said that she'd like to have lots of kids, even though there is the possibility of her losing another someway while it's still tiny. And that would be terrible, but she promised she'd never fall apart like that again."

"Even Jote cries sometimes."

"I don't remember it ever happening, besides the other day, when Gura was killed, and when Mom died." Delf remarked.

Balthier and Mjrn were helping the Viera set up for Myko's play. Everything had to be in order for the next day.

"What was wrong with you the other day? I mean, what was with continually asking Fran to sleep with you and stuff? That isn't like you at ALL." Mjrn asked.

"I wasn't being serious. I was trying to keep her mind off of Jote. I didn't want her to be overly concerned with her sister to forget everything else that was important."

"Jote is my sister too, and I don't think I was concerned enough! Fran wasn't overly concerned! She was just caring for her sister! What happened was painful. I don't know how to feel. It happened a long time before I was born, but it hit me hard too. Fran was actually there, remember? I think that was why it hit her like that. My mother was kind, using the Salve of Forgetting to ease the pain of her poor daughters. I would do the same if something like that ever happened to Slya. I think that was what made the Wood angry at my mother, but I would still do the same thing for Slya."

"I should've thought of some other method of keeping Fran's mind on another subject, huh?"

"Oh yeah. I don't think Fran was amused. And I don't think the Viera were amused either. You might have caused suspicion we don't want. If the common Viera already aren't sure that Myko is your daughter and that Jote just wants it kept quiet, they probably know now. And with Myko calling you 'Daddy', and you carrying her everywhere. I think Myko is going to be in for some rough days soon."

A female Viera walked over, and in her hand was a leash. The leash was all that was keeping a miniature grey coeurl from rubbing everything in sight like any regular pet cat.

"Hello, my name is Mona and this is Whiskers. Jnzn told me to bring my beloved pet here so he could be a star. Isn't he cute?" The Viera explained. She looked a lot like Janzyn.

"He's unusual for a coeurl, that's for sure. The head is different than the head on any coeurl I've ever seen. Just like a regular cat's head instead of a coeurl's head." Balthier said.

"You are a Hume. Are you unusual for a Hume?" Mona asked.

"He's Fran's friend. He's with her most of the time." Mjrn explained. Mona smiled.

"And you must be Mjrn, Jnzn's girlfriend. Slya looks just like you. My brother is a womanizer, but every once in a while there will be a woman he actually falls in love with. I only remember a few. He's told you about Tana, I imagine. Jnzn wants you around more often. He doesn't seem to realize that every female Viera he meets does NOT have to bear his child."

"I like being with Janzyn." Mjrn stated.

"I have heard he is a good lover. Is that at least true?"

"He's intense. The rest is a secret only for me and my closest pals."

"Mjrn, you have got to be kidding. You told every Viera in the village and me all about it after the first time you two did it." Balthier said.

"Jan calls me his honey-bunny."

"Hilarious. He has always made stupid rabbit jokes like that. Always." Mona said with obvious sarcasm in her voice. Whiskers made a friendly growl and rubbed his mistress's leg. He knew when Mona was upset, and was trying to make her feel better, like any good pet."

Alja had made a major decision. She did like the idea of Janzyn being interested in seeing (and feeling) what was between her legs, but she wanted a male who liked her for other reasons. Throwing yourself at any Viera who would take you was okay for Rael, but Alja didn't want that for herself. And Alja had decided she was not ready to be a mother either. She was little more than a child herself. Even though she and Mjrn were close in age, Mjrn was a lot more mature in many ways, but Alja didn't resent that at all.

Alja was not going to sleep with a male who didn't love her. Janzyn wouldn't love who she was, he'd love what she was: a female. Janzyn loved Mjrn, and he'd just use the other women. And they knew it. If Alja went with Janzyn, she'd be no better than all those women Janzyn was with all the time.

Alja had to find Mjrn. She had promised to tell Mjrn her final decision, and a promise was a promise. Alja wouldn't want to hurt her friend's feelings by breaking a promise.

Rael was standing outside, just relaxing. Jote had told her to go do something less annoying for a while, since she had been doing something strange and it bothered Jote, even though Alja had no idea what it was her sister had been up to.

"How's my sister? I hear you want to have a bunch of little Janzyns running around. Interesting. I think having kids with Rush would be much better for you though. And it would make Rush happy. He loves kids." Rael said.

"Rae, I'm not going to do it. I decided against it. I am not like you. I will remain undefiled until the day I find my soul mate."

"Then you will die a virgin, my sister."

"I'd rather have that happen than be with somebody who doesn't love me."

"Very well. It is your choice and yours alone. I will pass on the family bloodline, and you will want to have children, but will still be waiting for a male who doesn't exist."

"But Jote and Mjrn have soul mates. And Delf. Fran had a baby with that Hume, and I know Humes sometimes marry the ones who give them children. I have seen the way they are. Don't tell me he doesn't love her and she doesn't love him. Many Viera have soul mates. I want to get married someday."

"I don't think you can think clearly sis. You need a martini or five."

"I should've known. You spent all night drinking, didn't you? Jote says that that will get you nowhere. You are foremost wood-warder, Rae. Where did you get martinis?"

"The giant bunny that has the magic leaf had olives. She told me to drink or she'll die. So I had ten martinis."

"And you're hallucinating again. Did somebody drug you again? YOU WERE WITH RUSH, WEREN'T YOU?!"

"Let me introduce you to Mr. Coeurl. Mona brought him. I think you two would make a cute couple."

"No, you aren't drugged. This is how you always treat me. I should've known you'd be ticked that I don't want to be a hooker. You thought you could make a quick buck sellin' me to Rush."

"Ella has a magic leaf, dear. She has this thing for olives, so I stole 'em and me and the other wood-warders drank a little. I asked Jote to join us, but she didn't want any. That's strange for her. Don't worry, we were doing our job! It isn't as though there has been a real threat besides that little monster that came out of Fran. You know, that Myko brat. And it isn't as though we got all drunk and everything. I hate Myko so much…"

"I'm not talking to you for a week Rae. Wood-warders, drinking. That's awful." Alja hissed. She walked off to try and find Mjrn.

Myko was made to promise not to repeat a word of what Jote had told her to any of the other Viera, and especially not to her younger cousins. One of the wood-warders had offered Jote a martini. Jote knew that she couldn't drink, but wanted to keep the reason why a secret until after Myko's play. If the Viera knew that their leader was carrying a child, they'd focus on her and not on Myko's play. The Viera were definitely going to be like that. Viera would care for each other's kittens all of the time. And they'd be offering Jote all kinds of things in hope that they would increase the chances for Jote to have a healthy baby. Jote wouldn't have a moment's peace.

Myko went out to help her father and aunt with the rest of the preparations for her play. She saw Mona and Whiskers and decided she had to bond with the coeurl, even though he'd have to pretend to kill her in the play.

"Whiskers knows tricks, doesn't he?" Myko asked.

"Sure. He's a trained coeurl. He knows how to sit, and shake, and roll over, and all that stuff. I hope my little brother isn't going to be around. Even I can't control him when Jnzn is around. We have never figured out why he hates Jnzn so much." Mona replied.

"How about Janson? He's going to be one of the wood-warders who the Viera tricks. Marl got angry that there were no male wood-warders in the original version, so I put Janson in. I was going to use Slya, Gaia, and Dana. Marl started complaining that there are no male wood-warders in my play, and how he used to be one before he was the leader and everything so there should be at least one male in the play."

"Janson is fine. It's just his father. Nobody else makes Whiskers go so crazy. Whiskers? Down boy."

"Can I pet him?"

"Sure! Whiskers loves to be pet. Just don't pull his fur or anything. And don't mess with his whiskers. They're dangerous when he's excited, and he can get really excited easily. Touch his whiskers and he might get excited."

"Mona, you certainly are friendly. If only I needed a grandma or something in my play…"

"Grandma?! I'm only two-hundred-eighty-five years old! Sylva was about four hundred when she had Mjrn, and she was only starting to get really old."

"My mother was _not_ really old. Most Viera live more than five hundred years." Mjrn stated.

"And we have timeless bodies, don't we? We don't appear to get old, do we?" Myko asked.

"You might. You're only half-Viera. And that Hume blood in you has to show somehow."

As Mona heard those words, she looked at Myko with interest. She didn't know that Myko was part Hume.

"You're a half-Viera?! I mean, I've heard that it is possible for a Viera and a Hume to have a child, but I've never actually seen a half-Viera." Mona said.

"Don't tell anyone. We try and keep it a secret. We're worried that other Viera might hurt her. And nobody hurts my daughter!" Balthier told Mona.

"I won't tell. I know how some Viera are. Kara would probably kill her. Kara is that kind of Viera. I swear I'll keep the secret. Do Jnzn and Lena know?"

"They know. Myko was born at Janzyn's place."

"She has lovely eyes, and she seems very intelligent. There is nothing wrong with her. Half-breeds are strange like that. Some things about her are superior to the same things in a full-blooded Viera."

"Whiskers, you are such a nice kitty. You will go over so well with the rest of the Viera." Myko said, petting the coeurl. Whiskers purred loudly.

"He's got quite the motor." Mjrn stated.

Marl approached Jote warily. He was still worried that she was angry at him. He couldn't bear if she didn't want to be with him anymore or something. He loved her with all his heart and soul. If Viera married, he would've married her already. Delf only married because of Tyra. Arlisa Village had different rules.

"Jote, I noticed you're a little distant. Did I do something wrong, my love?" Marl asked. Jote looked at him and forced a smile.

"You didn't do anything wrong Marl. I just have a lot on my mind."

"You seem to be having an off day. Fran said that you probably just had a lot to think about, honey. What is the matter? You can tell me."

"I'm fine. I've just been thinking about Leaf. It isn't something you can just forget about."

"When we have more kids, maybe you'll feel a bit better."

Jote decided to tell Marl then. She'd wait until after Myko's play to tell everybody else, but surely she could tell Marl. He was the father after all. He deserved to know that in a year and a half he'd be the father of two. And Jote knew Marl would be delighted to know.

"Marl, I have been thinking of something else too."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong. Remember that magickal night a few nights ago?"

"I want to do it again."

"Well, remember how you were joking about knocking me up again?"

"Sure. We need to have more kids."

"Marl. We will. I'm pregnant."

"Well, there's a surprise! And I thought you were mad at me!"

"Of course I'm not mad. Fran is right. There is a lot for me to think about. The Wood tells a Viera as soon as it happens, you know. It kind of bothered me at first. I'm going to tell the others after Myko's play. Don't tell anybody else. I don't want all the Viera worrying about me just yet. Myko needs some attention. I love that little girl almost as much as I would if she were my daughter."

"Myko is a sweet little girl. She does love acting too. Her play will be wonderful."

"Yes. It will."

"Now I know why you wouldn't drink with the other wood-warders. I guess I'll drink enough for the both of us next time the girls want to drink. I used to be a wood-warder. I can drink with the girls. You look pale. Do you need anything?"

"Thanks Marl. Please, just get me some water now. I want some nice cold water. I'd get it myself, but I'm kind of dizzy. You understand, don't you?"

"Sure. I'll go get your water right away."

"Thank you. Hey, Marl? While you're at it, get me some fresh fruit. I'm hungry. I need to eat. I am so dizzy."

"I'm on it Jote."

The next day, Myko got herself ready early. Janzyn brought Janson and Slya. He had permission to do so. Whiskers attacked him, and that amused Jote. Mona had to grab Whiskers and restrain him until he calmed down.

"Jan, you're going to have to stay up in a tree. No wait, Whiskers climbs trees, but he won't as long as I have him on the leash. Just get out of his sight before I let him go." Mona said.

"Is everybody here? Let's get this over with." Rael said. Jote was sipping at some water. Marl was hovering over her, which she didn't like. She could take care of herself, mostly. She was just dizzy earlier. That was why she hadn't told the other Viera yet!

"Welcome! I am Myko La… Myko. Just Myko. This is my rendition of the classic story of 'The Viera Who Cried Coeurl!'" Myko announced.

Fran narrated. "Once upon a time, there was a little Viera who was training to become a wood-warder. She thought it would be great fun to trick the other wood-warders into believing a coeurl was attacking."

"Help! A coeurl!" Myko cried. The other three kids walked into view.

"But when the wood-warders came, there was no coeurl."

"Hilarious." Janson said.

Myko began laughing hysterically. Then she calmed down.

"The young Viera thought it was great fun. So once again, she called…"

"Help! A coeurl!"

"But once again, there was no coeurl."

"That is the LAST TIME we're gonna fall for this!" Slya said angrily.

"And then, a real coeurl came."

Whiskers came out, snarling. He cornered Myko.

"HELP! A COEURL! THERE REALLY IS ONE THIS TIME!" Myko yelled.

"But the other Viera didn't listen. And he ate the young Viera." Fran finished. Whiskers just licked Myko's face.

"And he lived happily ever after." Jote added. Marl was sitting there, stroking her ears.

**That's the end. I hope you liked it! I don't know what else to say. I have given up on Njay's Quest, because it sucked, but I have more stories to tell. This isn't the last you've seen of me!**


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